Branding & Saving Lily Box Set: Books 1 & 2 (Jacob and Lily's Duet)

by Gracin Sawyer

  He must have taken the clue because he began spilling everything he knew about Rachael. “Jacob, I found a death certificate for Lily.”

  More betrayal. More questions. When I figured this out, there wasn’t a single person I wasn’t going to investigate. Loyalty was everything, and by hell, I would not have secrets held from me. “What?” I managed to grind the one word out between clenched teeth.

  “Don’t kill me, I’m just doing my job. But Garcia’s name is on the death certificate. It was signed five years ago when Rachael went missing.”

  Was he serious?

  I slid the screen, ending the conversation. What in the hell was I going to tell Doc now? I’d like to know what Garcia got into that forced him to sign his daughter’s death certificate, completely erasing her from the system. No one had even thought to look for her in five years because everyone thought she was dead.

  “Sir,” Rosa called to me from the doorway, her arms loaded with bags. Her black hair, streaked with grey was frizzy and wildly untamed around her shoulders. “I have what you asked me to get.”

  “Thank you, Rosa,” I said, walking to her. “I’ll take them. Get things ready for a shower. I’m sure she’ll like to get cleaned up. And tell Flapjack I need some saran wrap and tape from the first aid kit in the kitchen.”

  The old woman nodded at me and handed the bags out for me to grab. She was more obedient than most, but usually had an attitude to go with it. Thankfully, she didn’t say anything because I wasn’t in the mood.

  Lily was sitting up in bed and watched me curiously as I came in. Those gorgeous blue eyes held me captive.

  I held the bags up, breaking the trance before I needed more cold water. “I guessed your size. I hope you like them.”

  “My size?” She blushed. “I don’t think I even know my size anymore.”

  “Well, I guess we’ll both be surprised then.” I placed the bags on the bed and began pulling out the garments. I had to hand it to Rosa, everything she picked out was perfect for Lily.

  “You bought me clothes?” She gingerly touched the hem of a shirt laying on the bed.

  “I’m partial to you staying in my shirt, but I don’t think I want the other guys to see you that way.” Hell, I was partial to seeing her with nothing, but sooner or later she would need to leave the bedroom.

  Her blush warmed my insides. “I have Rosa getting the shower ready for you. You will feel better after getting cleaned up.”

  As if on cue, Flapjack was at the door and Lily grabbed the covers, holding them to her chin. I knew he wouldn’t look at her, or he would end up missing his eyeballs, but she was still scared. And she had every right to be. I wasn’t sure what she had endured, but after seeing that cabin, I could assume many things.

  “Here, boss. Rosa said you needed these.” He held out the saran wrap and tape.

  “Thank you.” I looked at Lily. “This is Flapjack. He’s our cook. Flapjack, this is Lily.”

  “Nice to meet you, mam.” He stayed at the door, heading the warning for no one to enter her room, not unless I let them.

  “Hi.” Her voice was hushed, but she relaxed the grip on the blanket, lowering it slightly. It was a start.

  “I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.”

  “We need to stand you up so I can put this over your wound. I don’t want it getting too wet.” I held my hand out and she took it without hesitating. With her standing, she was only as tall as the top of my collarbone. Such a petite thing.

  I peeled the plastic wrap back and ripped off a piece. Kneeling down so I could efficiently cover her wound, I remembered how I’d thrown her panties in the trash.

  She lifted the shirt, holding it up for me. Her hands trembled.

  My hands wanted to reach behind her and pull her to me. I was at the perfect level to taste her sweetness. Soft curls beckoned me to search for the treasure hidden between. I loved that she wasn’t bare. Why women wanted to wax off that part of them was beyond me. I much preferred a natural woman, because that’s what it was to me, a woman. A bare pussy looked like it hadn’t matured yet, and not ready for a man like me.

  Holy hell.

  How I kept my hands steady was a miracle. Lifting the wrap over her wound, I taped it to her skin. I was honestly impressed by how it looked. I never would have guessed it was less than forty-eight hours since I’d burned her.

  “I’ll carry you there and then Rosa will help you.” I didn’t want to tell her that I couldn’t because we’d be finding a new way to use the tub.

  She nodded. “Thank you.”

  Scooping her into my arms was becoming so natural. She wrapped her arms around my neck and snuggled closer. There was no way I could let her go now.

  In the bathroom, a deep garden tub sat in the corner, but the shower was separate as a walk-in with river rock walls. Rosa was setting the water temperature and steam already rolled over the ceiling. The joining door to my bedroom had been shut and locked, making me chuckle to myself.

  “Set the poor girl down. You don’t have to manhandle everyone.” Rosa tsked and held her arms out for Lily.

  I lowered Lily to the floor, and let Rosa take her arm to steady her.

  Rosa shooed me off. “Now you just get out of here. She doesn’t need a man like you watching her shower.”

  I backed out of the bathroom and the door shut. Somehow I felt like my mother had just chided me, but it just made me chuckle. Lily may not need me to watch her, but I sure as hell wanted to.

  Downstairs I decided to get some work done and went to my study. It wasn’t too long after I took over the business that I made all the changes, including this room. I wanted nothing to do with the room that reminded me of my father. Everything in it was handpicked by me, right down to the cherry wood paneling.

  A large mahogany desk sat center stage in front of the large fireplace I had installed with the remodel. The wall opposite the windows was lined with shelves and books. Most of them were old and worn, some barely able to hold their pages. It seemed in all areas of my life I had a soft spot for damaged things. Women included.

  Sitting at the desk, I tried not to think about Lily upstairs, naked, wet… Oh for fuck’s sake. I needed to get a grip on this.

  I grabbed the accounting book and tried to focus on the numbers. I knew I didn’t need to, I paid people to do them for me, but I liked to be in control of everything and went over them anyway. I wasn’t worried about money, hell I had more than I’d ever need in my life, but I also liked to know where it all went. And, I wanted to make sure I was getting the money owed to me on time as well.

  My services weren’t cheap.

  A loud crash upstairs had me running through the study and up the stairs quicker than I’d ever moved before. The bathroom door was open with the shower still running.

  I didn’t care about anything other than Lily’s safety at that moment. Naked or not, I wasn’t leaving until I knew she was okay.

  Finding Lily picking herself up off the ground had my emotions flying off the handle in all different directions.

  I rushed over to her and picked her up.

  “I’m sorry, I just fell.”

  “Lily!” Rosa called as she reentered the bathroom, looking at Lily naked in my arms. “I’m sorry, I just went to change her sheets so they’d be fresh when she got out. I was only gone a few minutes.”

  “So you leave her alone? Rosa, she could have hurt herself again. Just get out of here. You’re no longer needed tonight.” My voice rose higher and deeper than I had wanted, but my heart was still hammering at seeing Lily on the ground, alone and soaking wet.

  Lily stiffened. “It wasn’t her fault, I’m sorry I fell.”

  Rosa obviously knew not to argue with me right then because she turned with a scowl meant for me and left.

  “I told you, Lily, you don’t ever have to be sorry with me.” I stood there, holding her in the bathroom, with nothing to hide her beauty from me. “You are so beautiful.”

 
Her sad smile broke my heart. “I’m nothing.”

  “Don’t ever say that again because you are quickly becoming everything to me.” It was a true statement. But everything about her has been fast. Even her arrival had been a spur of the moment. I hadn’t been able to relax since.

  Her hair was dripping water onto the floor, and she smelled so sweet. The stuff Rosa picked up was definitely feminine, helping Lily smell like her name’s sake.

  The soft supple mounds of her breast begged to be cupped and caressed until the peaks stood erect. Lifting her close enough, I dared to taste the forbidden fruit and took a nipple into my mouth.

  She gasped, but before I let her go, she began to moan. The sound escaping her lips was like a drug and I needed more.

  Capturing the bud between my teeth, I flicked my tongue over its softness, making it rigid with need. I wanted to feel her, all of her, but tonight wasn’t the night. I wanted to draw it out, make it last forever.

  Letting her go, I lowered her to look into her eyes clouded with desire. I didn’t think she could look any sexier as she did right then.

  It didn’t take me long to carry her to her room. The need to make her mine burned like a branding iron through my soul.

  Setting her on the bed, I waited for her to push me away, or tell me to leave, but instead, her hand reached up, grazing my face. I kissed her palm while lowering her onto her back.

  I braced myself with one hand while I used my other hand to trail my fingers down her neck, to her collarbone, slightly over the curve of a breast. Her lips parted as I stopped and I seized them with mine.

  It was slow and easy, but her mouth moved with mine, touch for touch. I didn’t want to scare her and rush into the deep kiss I was yearning for. Hell, I didn’t even know what she’s been through. This might be the worst thing I could do with her.

  I pulled back, afraid of making this worse for her. This wasn’t right, no matter how badly I wanted it.

  “I’m sorry,” she said again. Another apology.

  I backed up. Not trusting myself to be close to her, but all I could see was her, lying naked in front of me.

  “I’ve never kissed anyone before. I probably did it all wrong.”

  Was that truly what she thought was wrong? I kneeled down on the floor next to her. “Damn it, no. The kiss was perfect. I just don’t want to do something that you’ll regret. You deserve better.”

  “So you’re not mad that I don’t know how to be with a man?”

  I nearly choked. I also said a prayer of thanks to the big man upstairs. “Honey, I promise, knowing that has me feeling a lot of things, but mad is not one of them.”

  “I just thought you’d probably want someone who knew what they were doing. That’s why you stopped.”

  Oh shit, she had to stop talking like that. Her innocence made my cock throb more wanting her. Unclaimed territory. She would be mine in all ways. “It wasn’t why I stopped, that’s for sure. One day, I’ll show you how a real man loves his woman.”

  She blushed and her eyes filled with desire again. “Could you at least kiss me again?”

  “If I kiss you, I won’t stop until you’re satisfied.” The idea of seeing her reach ecstasy by my hands had my shaft aching with a new need, but it would have to wait. Tonight was for her.

  She nodded and reached for me. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to deny this woman anything. Screw it. If I had a chance to be with her like this, then I was going to enjoy every moment.

  My lips crashed down on hers, deeper and harder this time. My hand quickly found her breast and kneaded it softly, swirling my thumb over her nipple.

  The moans grew louder as my hand carefully went over her stomach and lingered at the curls between her legs. I leaned back as her eyes flew open. She started to protest but stared up at me while biting her bottom lip to stop herself. Complete trust shown from the deep blue pools in her eyes. Fuck, she was so damn innocent. She had no idea what she was doing to me.

  Slowly, I slipped my finger down through her slit, gliding over her little nub. I captured her mouth with mine again and slid my hand lower. She was so wet.

  Slipping just one finger inside her, I was met with the most beautiful sounds erupting from her throat. Her moist heat consumed me and she tightened against my finger as I moved slowly within her.

  “Jacob, I can’t. It feels like I’m going to explode.”

  I smiled and watched her face. Pleasure held her on the edge. “Honey, I want you to explode. My finger won’t stop until you do.”

  She raised her hips slightly, grinding toward my hand. “Please. I don’t know what to do. Please fix it.”

  “Fix what, honey?” I wanted to hear her voice, as sultry as fuck. I needed her to tell me.

  “I don’t know. I just know you can fix it. Please. Please, Jacob.” Her head began to thrash back and forth and her breathing picked up.

  She was so damn beautiful. And I would be her first. First kiss, first orgasm, and soon her first man.

  “I’m trying, honey. Just trust me. Let it go.”

  She looked at me wide-eyed again. “While your finger is still there?”

  I let out a deep groan of my own. “Especially while my finger is inside you.”

  “Oh, Jacob. I might just die.”

  “You won’t die. I won’t let you.” I kissed her again and thrust my finger deeper, wanting to use more, but not wanting to panic her. She was already worried about dying on one finger, wait until I used my mouth, or when I take her with my cock.

  Her hands reached up and pulled me down to her lips, winding her fingers through my hair, and then fumbled hesitantly until she grasped the collar of my shirt.

  Inside, she was tightening, getting ready to reach a new level of ecstasy. A flood of warmth flew around my finger and her body shuddered. Her moan held my name on her lips as she came.

  Watching her, I needed a release. I was close to coming just doing what I did to her. Reaching down, I unzipped my jeans and grabbed my rod. Hell, it hadn’t ever been so hard before.

  Her face flushed with satisfaction but was quickly replaced by doubt as she watched me. She nibbled at the edge of her bottom lip and watched my hand move over my shaft. “Can I do something to help you?”

  I didn’t deserve her. “When you are ready, you can help all you want, but tonight you already did everything I could ask for.” And she did. My hand was still dripping with her wetness as it slid over my manhood while I pumped one more time before exploding.

  She watched me with wide-eyes as I spilled out. “Oh crap. Are you okay? I’m so sorry.”

  My body shuddered. I was breathless, but smiled for her, leaning in to kiss her forehead. “I’m better than okay.”

  “I just don’t know about this stuff. It’s the one area my mom never talked to me about. I’m so stupid.”

  My hand was still wrapped around my dick, still sensitive and pulsating. “Honey, you are far from stupid. I’d be lying if I told you that you being inexperienced with men didn’t please me. Hell, I get to be the one who shows you.”

  I didn’t think the red in her face would ever go away. One day, we’d make love and there would be no blushing after. I’ll show her that everything we do together is natural and beautiful, not embarrassing. I couldn’t wait to show her more. “I’ll go get something to clean you up.”

  Walking back to the bathroom for a wet rag, I leaned against the counter and tried to catch my breath. Damn. If just doing that could cause me to come, I couldn’t wait to do more.

  I couldn’t be happier, but that worried me. I wasn’t a fearful person, but I’d never had someone to lose before.

  Chapter 15

  Lily

  Holy shit. Holy shit!

  What just happened? I had let Jacob Cardosa touch me. And not just touch me but put his finger inside of me. My body exploded into a million pieces just thinking about it.

  I had no idea anything could feel so incredible.

  Lying on the bed
, all I could do was relive the moment of pure bliss. I was too worn out to even think of moving.

  Jacob came back, his jeans still unzipped, but everything was tucked away from sight. Too bad. It was kind of mesmerizing to watch him. Seeing him spill out had been a surprise. I definitely didn’t expect that. But seeing that part of him was the most intimate thing I’d ever done. Aside from his finger.

  After sharing such an intense moment together, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I knew I should leave before he found out who I was, but maybe he wouldn’t find out. I was going to stick to that. I never had to tell him that one, small secret, and he’ll never have to kill me. I could make this work. I could hide here from Knox.

  “I’ll clean you up so you can rest.” Jacob sat on the edge of the bed and gently wiped between my legs with the rag. Just that had my body reacting to his touch. It was easy to feel that I was extra sensitive too.

  He really needed to stop.

  I watched him, mesmerized by how careful he was with me. His hands seemed like anything other than a murderer.

  “Jacob, can I ask you a question?”

  He stopped washing me and pondered my inquiry. “You can ask anything you want, just remember, you might not always like the answer.”

  That was fair. He may not like the question either, so there was that. “Do you really kill people?”

  His jaw clenched. “When it’s needed.”

  Tears filled my eyes. It would be needed if I told him I was Garcia’s daughter and the one Knox kidnapped.

  “Lily, I would never hurt you.”

  That was a lie. He’d already sworn some stupid oath with Knox. How could I be so stupid to think I could play pretend? I couldn’t stay here.

  Anger turned to rage thinking of how I let Jacob anywhere close to me when it would never be real. It was like a game of cat and mouse, and I was the mouse. He was just toying with me, leading me along, and making me feel safe. But really, he was the predator.

  He stood and zipped his jeans. “I have to go find Doc. I’ll be back later tonight.” Leaning over, he planted a light kiss on my forehead.