“You must have been frantic.” She scrambled over next to him and wrapped her arms around him.
Amos pulled her onto his lap, needing the comfort she provided. “Yeah. No one could answer our questions. We got out of the hospital as fast as we could and started investigating on our own. She wasn’t killed in the explosion. She was taken.”
“Abducted? Why?” She grabbed his hand and held on tight.
“We don’t know. We took the settlement the company gave us and bought a rundown deep-space trader. I fixed up the engines, and we flew our first cargo shipment out from Quaros. We worked hard, saved money, took more jobs, and finally got the Abigail as part of a salvage job we did. We worked on the ship and modified her until she was everything we needed her to be.”
“That’s why you’re traders. You’re looking for her.”
Amos nodded. “From the moment we were able to leave the hospital after the explosion. It’s been ten years, but we’ve never stopped.”
Chapter Ten
Angelina held Amos’s hand tight in hers. Talking about the past obviously hurt him, but he needed to share it, and she needed to know in order to understand more about the man who’d stolen her heart. “You think she might be on this planet you’re going to? Eden?”
She searched her memory for what she knew of this place. “It’s part of the Aurora Cluster, isn’t it?”
Amos nodded.
“You know who took her?” She couldn’t imagine how Amos and his brothers must have suffered all these years not knowing what happened to their sister.
“We’re not sure, but it’s possible it might have been a man by the name of Jasper Freeman. He fronts a cult called the Simplistics.”
That was mind-boggling. “Who or what are they?” She honestly hadn’t heard of them.
“They’re a back-to-basics group. They grow their own food and live as simply as possible, avoiding electronics and other gadgets as much as they can. Their leader, however, has a ship with state-of-the-art defenses. He justifies it because he travels searching for lost souls.”
She was still missing something. “But why your sister? Why Abigail?”
His eyes darkened and he shrugged. “Like I said, we don’t know for sure. All we do know is he was on Quaros at the time of the explosion. We didn’t think anything of it until Rory told us more about him.”
She rested her hand on his chest. The heavy beat of his heart vibrated against her palm. “Rory is the red-haired woman you were working with down in the engine room before you discovered me.” They hadn’t been introduced when Angelina had been in the control room.
A soft smile relaxed his face. “Yeah, she’s Kal’s woman.”
“And she had information?”
Her question made him chuckle. “Yeah, she had information. It’s why we kidnapped her from a deep-space pleasure ship.”
Her jaw fell open, and her eyes widened. “You what? You kidnapped her?”
Amos rubbed his hand up and down her spine. “Freed her is a better way of putting it. She had intel we needed, so we broke her out of the Exos. She wasn’t exactly there by choice.”
“That poor woman.” Angelina couldn’t imagine what Rory had been through.
“Hey.” Amos hugged her to his chest. “She’s okay. We rescued her before they put her to work in the back rooms. She was dancing when Kal freed her.”
That made her feel slightly better but not much. “And she had the information you needed?”
“Rory had traveled all over the Alliance galaxies and beyond with her father. We were told she might have information about our sister. She hadn’t seen her specifically, but she studied the lists of people who were on Quaros at the time, including visitors. She picked out several possibilities but focused on Jasper Freeman as the most likely.”
“Because he runs this group, the Simplistics?” That wasn’t a lot to go on.
Amos yawned, and Angelina realized she was tired, too. She’d been running on pure emotion and adrenaline these past few days. Had it only been such a short time since her entire life had changed? It seemed more like a month so much had happened.
“That’s part of it. He’s also big on the family unit. According to Rory, he might have disliked the fact Abigail was being raised by four brothers.” Amos’s eyes turned cold, reminding her of his older brother Flint. “Rory also told us that this Jasper Freeman likes young girls. Or at least that’s the rumor.”
Angelina swallowed hard. It was all too easy to imagine what could befall a young girl on her own in the hands of such a person. “I’m so sorry.” It was totally inadequate, but what else could she say?
“We’re going to get her back.” There was no doubting his determination. From what she’d seen of him and his brothers there was no reservations in her mind that they’d search until they found her—no matter how long it took.
“I’ll do whatever I can to help.” She yearned to be a part of this, to help Amos in any way she could, not only because he’d saved her life but also because she couldn’t bear to see him suffer. “I have more business and government contacts than you can imagine.”
He hugged her and kissed her forehead. “Thank you. I guess that means you’re staying.” The look he gave her was pointed.
“For now, I guess I am.” And the relief she felt at making that decision lifted a huge weight from her shoulders. She didn’t really want to leave Amos.
He deposited her on the bed and sprawled out beside her. “I don’t know about you, but I’m dead tired.”
“I’m exhausted,” she told him.
He frowned and pulled her against his larger body. “Sleep. It’s been a hell of a day.”
She snuggled against him, loving the way he wrapped his arms around her. It made her feel safe and cared for, like she belonged.
Her heart gave a little flutter. She cared a lot about Amos, maybe even loved him. It was hard to tell. She’d never been in love before. What she did know was that she didn’t want to leave him.
For now, she was staying. She’d take one day at a time and go from there. Decision made, she drifted off to sleep, content to be held in his arms.
****
She woke when the mattress shifted. The bed seemed bigger and colder without him in it. Angelina’s eyes fluttered open, and she watched Amos stretch his long arms over his head. The muscles in his back rippled, and her mouth watered when she saw his taut ass.
She must have made some kind of sound because he looked over his shoulder and smiled at her. “Morning.”
Was it morning? She’d lost all sense of time. Had no idea what day it was. Not that it really mattered, but it was strange not knowing. Her life with her uncle had been regimented to the last second. It was freeing to simply live from one moment to the next.
He turned, and her gaze immediately flew to his groin. His cock was hard and full, pulsing with life. He chuckled. “You’re looking at me like you’re starved and I’m breakfast.”
She deliberately licked her lips. “Maybe I am, and maybe you are.”
He groaned, and his erection seemed to grow even larger. “Keep that up and you won’t be getting any real breakfast anytime soon.”
“Maybe I want something else to start my day.” Holy hell, was that really her saying that and in such a sultry voice?
His hands fisted at his sides. “I’m really trying to do the right thing here, babe. You must be starving, and I worked you pretty hard last night. I don’t want you to get sore.”
Now that he mentioned it, there was a slight twinge between her legs, but nothing bad enough to keep her from making love again. “I’m not that sore,” she informed him.
His eyes turned hot, and his cock jerked toward her. “You’re playing hell with my good intentions, angel.”
She grinned and knelt on the mattress. “Good. That was my intention.” She put all the emphasis on the last word. She crooked her finger at him. “Come here.”
His nostrils flared and his jaw tig
htened, but he came to stand before her. His erection was thick and hard and she had to touch him. Wasn’t it convenient that he was at the perfect height for her to do so? With her kneeling on the bed and him standing it was perfect for what she had in mind.
But first, she wanted to kiss him. She reached up, slid her arms around his neck and pulled him down. She slipped her tongue past his lips and explored the hot depths of his mouth. His moan vibrated through her as he took over the kiss and stroked his tongue against hers. They twined together, each of them retreating and boldly plunging forward again.
His cock was hot and hard against her stomach. He tangled his hands in her hair and held her as he claimed her mouth. There was a sense of desperation to the kiss that she didn’t quite understand. He plundered her mouth until she was breathless.
She stared up at Amos, her wild lover. He was so big and strong, so elementally male. Yet she didn’t feel the least bit of fear. It amazed her how much she’d come to trust him in such a short time.
She licked her lips, and his eyes darkened. Every muscle in his body was coiled for action. The muscle in his jaw flexed, and she knew he was restraining himself.
Angelina sat back and reached for his shaft. He groaned when she wrapped her hand around it. His skin was almost hot. His cock was as hard as titanium, yet the skin was smooth and soft.
“Angelina.” He practically growled her name, and it sent a shiver of pleasure racing down her spine. Her breasts ached, and her nipples were taut nubs.
She remembered his fantasy about her hair and lifted a thick hank of the white stuff and flicked the tip of his erection. The bulbous head quivered, and Amos swore.
“You like that?” she teased. Angelina didn’t recognize herself. Never would she have thought she’d be so open about sex. But Amos was different. He didn’t care who her uncle was, what business contacts or power she could bring him. All he wanted was her.
“Maybe you’d like this better.” She wrapped the thick tress around his shaft and gently pulled it away.
“Fuck me,” Amos swore. “Baby, you keep that up and I’m going to come.” His blunt admission made her pussy clench. “I want to feel your mouth on my dick.”
She wanted that, too. She leaned forward and kissed his groin. The coarse hair on his body tickled her nose. He smelled musky and male and very enticing. His cock jerked in her hand when she delicately sampled the tip. Her tongue circled the head and teased the slit at the top. Liquid seeped from the opening, and she lapped it up.
He tasted warm and slightly salty.
“You’re killing me.” He groaned and flexed his hips, pushing his cockhead against her lips.
She opened her mouth and took him in. They both moaned when he slipped into the warmth of her mouth. He was so big she knew she couldn’t take much of him. But from the sounds he was making, Amos didn’t seem to mind.
He carefully pumped his hips, pushing his shaft deeper. Angelina traced her tongue over him and then sucked. He swore again. She couldn’t help but smile. She might not have done this before, but obviously she was doing something right.
“Angel, I want you to come, too.” He pulled away from her, and she reluctantly released him with a wet pop.
“I can come later,” she assured him. She really wanted to do this.
“I have a better idea,” he assured her. “Trust me.”
She’d trusted him this far, and he hadn’t steered her wrong. She nodded.
Amos motioned her to move over, and then he lay down in the center of the bed. “Come here.” She started to straddle him, but he shook his head. “The other way, facing away from me.”
Angelina was a little nervous but threw her leg over his chest and placed her palms on his stomach for support. He caught her hips in his large hands and pulled her back. “Ease back. I want your pussy over my mouth so I can eat you up.”
Had they passed by a sun? It seemed as though the temperature in the room had shot up about a million degrees. She was beginning to sweat. She backed up, knowing he could see every inch of her pussy. There was no part of her hidden from his view.
“Perfect.” He teased her slick folds and dipped a finger into her channel. “Hot and tight, just the way I like it.”
She buried her face against his stomach and groaned. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.” Nothing in her former life had prepared her for this, for Amos.
“And you’ll notice my dick is right there in front of you.”
Angelina perked up. In her own embarrassment she’d failed to notice the best thing about this position—she could explore his body while he touched her.
His cock was stretching toward his navel. She blew on the head, and Amos’s entire body shook. His fingers tightened on her hips, and he yanked her pussy to his mouth and ran his tongue up the length of her labia.
The sound that came out of her mouth was one she’d never made before. It was needy and demanding. In retaliation, she reached between his thighs and cupped his balls, squeezing them gently. They were full and tight.
Amos pushed a thick finger into her core. She moaned and wrapped her hand around his shaft. “This means war,” she warned him.
In response, he added a second finger to her passage.
Angelina opened her mouth and took the head of his shaft inside. She lapped at the tip, swirling her tongue around it. His hips bucked upward. She sucked on his cock, hollowing her mouth as she moved up and down on his length.
She was feeling pretty smug when he yanked her hips up and back and wrapped his lips around her clit. Her deep moan vibrated down his erection as she shared her pleasure with him. He teased her with his tongue and lips until she could barely breathe.
She pulled a strand of her hair forward and teased his balls and the base of his shaft with it, running the length back and forth. At the same time, she sucked on the head of his cock.
Amos growled and shoved two thick fingers into her pussy and used his thumb on her clit. Her inner muscles rippled around him. “I’m close, baby,” he warned her.
His cock was getting tighter, his actions more out of control. She wanted this, wanted them to come together. She pumped one hand up and down his shaft and cupped his balls with the other. His cock filled her mouth.
His balls clenched, and then he was coming. He tasted warm and salty, and she swallowed all he gave her. Behind her, she could hear him swearing. His hips pumped upward, driving his shaft deeper into her mouth. She held onto the base of his erection so he didn’t go too deep.
When he was finally done, she sucked the head of his cock one final time and released him.
“Holy fuck.” Amos sounded winded. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled at him. He caught the smug smile on her face and growled. “No way are you getting away with that.”
In a casual display of his strength, he lifted her off him and all but tossed her onto the bed. She laughed as she rolled onto her back. He was between her legs in a heartbeat, shoving her thighs wide.
He lunged forward, and her breath caught in her throat. There wasn’t a single inch of her pussy he didn’t taste and touch. She went from laughter to poised on the brink of coming in seconds. Amos drove two fingers deep into her core, but it wasn’t enough. She was so close.
She licked her lips and could taste Amos’s essence. She gripped the sheets beneath her. Amos flicked her clit with his tongue, and she lost it. She called out his name as her entire body convulsed with pleasure.
Amos was relentless. He kept thrusting his fingers and lapping at her clit until she couldn’t endure it any longer. She weakly pushed at his head, and he finally relented. He sprawled between her legs with his head resting on her stomach.
She trembled as aftershocks vibrated through her. The heat between them finally cooled, and she shivered. Amos immediately raised his head. “Cold?”
“A little.”
He lifted her and positioned them so they were once again lying properly in bed with the covers over them. Her hair fell
over her shoulder and onto his chest. He picked up a strand and smiled. “That was amazing.”
Warmth spread from her chest to throughout her entire body. “It was,” she agreed.
He dropped her hair and caught her chin in his hand. “Stay with me.” He hurried on before she could reply. “I know things have happened fast and that we barely know each other, but I’ve never felt this way about any other woman.”
Her heart sped up, but she forced herself to be logical. “It could just be all the excitement. The adrenaline.” She didn’t want to leave him but wasn’t sure it was the right thing to stay.
****
Amos knew he was losing her and almost cursed. He was a rough bastard, demanding she make a decision before she was even recovered from their latest bout between the sheets.
His cock was full and hard again. He couldn’t seem to get enough of her. Having her mouth on him and her hair wrapped around his shaft had been better than he’d even imagined it could be.
Sure they didn’t know everything there was to know about the other, but that didn’t matter. Not to his heart. The damn thing ached with wanting her, and not just in his bed. He wanted to talk with her, spend time with her.
She was a hell of a woman. Far braver than he was comfortable with. The way she’d stood up to both Vaden and Flynn was nothing short of awe-inspiring. And he’d have nightmares for years imagining what could have happened if she hadn’t chosen his ship to stow away on.
“It’s not the adrenaline or the excitement,” he told her. “Although you do get the heart pumping and the blood flowing.” His attempt at a joke fell flat.
He sighed. “Look, Angel, neither of us knows what the future may bring, but I do know that I want you in my life.” It was the closest to a declaration of love he’d ever come.
Did he love her? Who could know in such a short time? But the thought of her leaving him made him break out in a cold sweat.
She started to shake her head, but he held her chin so she couldn’t. “What do you want out of life? Tell me?”
Her lips turned down in a slight frown. “I’m not sure. I never planned far beyond just getting away. I always thought I’d travel, be a translator aboard a ship, or maybe with a corporation or government.”
Unexpected Angel Page 10
