Savage Seduction

by J. Woods

  Chapter Twenty

  She opened her eyes to find Logan taking the warming ice pack off her eye. “The swelling’s going down,” he noted. She kept her head resting against the back of the couch and her eyes closed. “Tired?” he asked. She made an incoherent sound as an answer. She was exhausted and her head was starting to hurt, the pounding in her temple becoming distracting. “Do you want to take a pill now?”

  “No, I’ll take one after Ashbrook leaves.”

  “Okay, then you’re going to bed.”

  “Only if you come with me,” she smiled.

  “Trouble,” he growled playfully at the same time the detective knocked on the door.

  Zoe smiled as Ashbrook sat down on the chair across from her, settling himself in the soft leather. Axel lay beside her, his head resting on her thigh while Logan took the space on the other side. “How are you feeling Zoe?”

  “I’m okay Detective, thank you.”

  “You just got home from the hospital?”

  “Yes.” She watched as he pulled out his notepad and a pen getting ready to take her statement. She wasn’t looking forward to reliving the nightmare but she knew it was a necessary evil.

  “Good. Okay, I’m going to have to ask you what happened. I’d like you to start from what you were doing Friday night.” Zoe took a deep breath, Logan’s presence beside her, infusing her with strength.

  “I had been kind of down all week so Rachel and I decided we needed a night out. We got ready and went to that new wine bar downtown...” For the next hour Zoe told them everything that happened including Steven admitting to stalking her for ten years and framing Alex Sullivan once Zoe had called the police. She told them how he’d taken her prom dress from her parent’s house; how she believed that he didn’t actually know what he was going to do with her past that night, he just kept telling her he was going to take care of her because he loved her. By the end of the interview Zoe was shaking with memories she wanted to forget.

  “Okay Zoe, thank you. I wanted to let you know, you don’t have to worry about him anymore. Steven Ledetski is dead.” She gasped. She knew she had stabbed him in his neck but when she left him he was still breathing. Barely, but still breathing.

  “Did I do that?” she asked, her hand flying to cover her mouth.

  “He died of a self inflicted injury from a pair of pruning shears. He had significant blood loss from where you injured him and probably would have died eventually from that alone but when my officers went in to apprehend him they found him slumped over his desk, his throat sliced. The shears in one hand, a photo of you, I’m assuming at prom, in the other.” Zoe felt the tear slide down her cheek. She knew what photo he was talking about. She was in the red dress standing next to Steven. She had her eyes closed, inhaling the scent of a red rose.

  Zoe sighed, laying her head on the pillow after she’d been forced to take her pain killers.

  “Okay?” Logan asked.

  “It’s over,” she sighed.

  “Yes, it’s over.” He slid in beside her and Zoe didn’t hesitate to crawl into his arms. She rested her head against the familiar beat of his heart and smiled.

  “Ten years. Ten years Logan, and I didn’t even know!”

  “I’m sorry you had to go through that Zoe. But I’m so proud of you. That you fought and didn’t give up when a lot of people would have.”

  “Well I had to. I needed to yell at you in front of a lot of people.” His chest bounced with his chuckle.

  “Yeah well, I deserved it. I think they thought so too. I wasn’t that much fun to be around this week.”

  “You weren’t?” she asked raising her head.

  “I was miserable without you,” he admitted quietly.

  She let out a contented feminine sigh as she lowered her head. “That makes me so happy.”

  “Go to sleep Zoe,” Logan murmured, smiling against her hair. She didn’t argue.

  One Week Later...

  Logan had waited long enough. He’d given Zoe a week to heal; the swelling on her face had diminished completely, her bruises now a yellowing blue that she covered up with makeup. She’d worked from home all week not wanting people to talk. She’d managed to stay out of the press and Ashbrook and his team kept the entire incident away from the media. He walked down the hall finding her in his office at the computer. He needed to get another desk in here for her, although he did like the look of her behind his. He noticed the dark circles beneath her eyes. She was tired, her memories attacking her sleep through the dark of night. He remembered last night, her scream waking him and just as he had done the night before that, he woke her the same way she did him, chasing the shadows from his subconscious. With soft kisses and murmurs of safety until she opened her gorgeous, fear filled eyes and watched as recognition allowed the terror to seep out of her body. He held her tight until her heart slowed as he promised safety and security. And it was a promise he would never break. Because without Zoe, he would be empty. Noticing him standing in the doorway, she looked up with a smile.

  “Can you take the afternoon off?”

  “Well I guess that depends on what you had in mind,” she rebutted raising an eyebrow. God, just a look from her and he was hard. He hadn’t touched her in six days and he was starting lose his patience. She slept beside him every night, her soft curves against his hard angles and it was torture. She’d taken the last two pills in the small yellow bottle last night and Logan could almost hear the choir singing.

  “A surprise,” he told her.

  “A surprise?”

  “Come on,” he nodded, smiling at the anticipation on her face. She reached for his extended hand, threading her fingers through his. She pulled him back, catching him by surprise as she went up on her tiptoes and slanted her lips across his. He bent down, his palms cupping her ass while he lifted her. Her legs came around his hips, her arms around his neck while her fingers delved into his hair. She let out a soft moan when he plunged his tongue into her mouth. He pulled away resting his forehead against hers. He wanted to give her this afternoon, before he made love to her. And he definitely did not want his first time back with her to be hard and fast against the wall of his office. “Zoe...”

  “I’m sorry, I’m distracting you,” she grinned.

  “Don’t ever apologize, especially for that,” he murmured.

  “You’re just so damn sexy I can’t help myself,” she whispered.

  “Good,” he pressed his lips to hers in a quick kiss before she slid down the length of his body.

  “Okay baby, surprise me!” He laughed at her enthusiasm dragging her out of the house. Pulling her toward the trees he could sense her curiosity; she squeezed his hand tighter when the sun disappeared behind the canopy of evergreens. The pungent smell of the outdoors surrounded them, the shade of the trees a nice contrast to the hot summer sun. The further they walked through the trees the closer Logan could hear what he’d been waiting for. “What is that?” Zoe asked. He looked down at her with a knowing smirk but kept quiet. A few short moments later the trees parted and her gasp was exactly what he’d wanted. Her hand fell away from his as she walked toward the edge of the bluff; the rough waves crashing violently against the rocks below. She turned to see that he’d set up a small picnic for them, “Logan!” Her hands flew to her mouth, her head going from the blanket to him and back. “When did you do this?”

  “When I took Axel for a walk earlier. Come,” he held out his hand for her and guided her onto the red fabric.

  “Oh Logan, it’s absolutely beautiful!”

  “I agree.” He opened the basket pulling out a box of chocolate covered strawberries. “I was going to bring you here... when I was telling you I had a whole plan to get you back. This was the grand finale.”

  “It’s amazing, fantastically amazing.” She picked one up and held it out for him to bite in to.

  “I think that’s supposed to be my job,” he frowned, sinking his teeth into the red fruit. She crawled over and climb
ed into his lap so she was straddling him. Leaning in she licked the corner of his mouth where he had some chocolate.

  “You didn’t have to do all this,” she started, looking into his eyes in earnest.

  “I know, but I wanted to,” he shrugged.

  “Thank you.” They sat in the same position, their heads pressed together as they watched the comings and goings of the rough waters. It was moments like these that he knew he would never experience with anyone besides the woman in his arms. She felt so good, so warm; her scent wrapping around him and infusing his senses, he was going to go crazy if he didn’t have her soon. He was sure his dick had a permanent imprint of his zipper; it didn’t help that she was so naturally sensual, with every movement, sway of her hips, flip of her hair, secret smile, he was done for. He pressed his lips against her neck, turning her head to give him better access. He nipped the soft skin under her ear before devouring her luscious lips. Making sure her mouth was sealed to his in both need and distraction; he picked up her hand and slowly slid the platinum and diamond ring on her finger. Pulling away quickly she stared open mouthed at the ring then back to him, repeating the same process a few times over. Her eyes filled with tears and the smile that spread across her face was one he would remember for the rest of his life. “Zoe...” he started.

  “Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes,” she laughed between kisses. “Yes.” She peppered his face with kisses, and when her hot tongue licked and sucked his neck he completely forgot everything he was about to say. He heard the word yes and with the empowering statement he gripped the hem of her shirt, pulling it over her head. Damn, she was sexy. Her purple lace bra made his mouth water, teasing him with what he’d been dying to taste all week. Giving in to the urge he lowered his head and took one hard nipple into his mouth over top of the fabric, licking and sucking the peak into his mouth. She ripped his shirt over his head, her hands everywhere against his bare chest, touching his shoulders, his back. It was all so sensational; he felt her everywhere. She bit down on his shoulder.

  “Tease me later. I need you now,” she whispered. He couldn’t agree more, he needed to be inside of her. Now. He ripped off her bra, laying her back against the soft blanket on the ground. Peeling off her shorts he made sure he took his time, inhaling every single moment she gave to him. He groaned in pain at the sight of her matching lace panties, having to undo his own pants. Tearing through them, she seemed just as eager as he was, helping him push his pants off with her feet as he came over top of her. Leaning down he pressed his lips to the healing wound on her arm before making his way, kissing every inch of naked skin he could. The soundtrack of the waves behind them only fuelled the sensuality of the moment. Pulling each nipple into his mouth he grazed the hard tip with his teeth eliciting a low moan from her as she writhed underneath him. “Logan, please.” He loved the sound of her begging and as much as he wanted to hear it more, he didn’t know how much more teasing he could take wondering if he was torturing himself more than he was her. Moving back up her body she gripped his face bringing it down to hers, her tongue playing with the seam of his lips. Each of them duelled for dominance with playful nips and licks as his hand travelled down to her core.

  “Are you ready for me baby?”

  “Oh god, yes,” she breathed as his fingers found her hot and wet. Pulling a condom from the pocket of his discarded pants, his hands made quick work of rolling it on before he positioned himself at her center. Teasing her a little he rubbed against her; with a frustrated move she wrapped her legs around his hips and lifted hers to meet his. He didn’t fight her. Threading his fingers through hers, he held them above her head, filling her in one swift thrust. Her back bowed beneath him, her breathy cry floating away on the salty breeze. Her thighs tightened around him, her fingers gripping as her pleasure overflowed into his, their bodies gleaning a shine of sweat underneath the afternoon sun. He had no control over the movements of his body; he felt his hips take on speed, matching the rhythm of her breaths while her body started to quiver around him. He bit down on her earlobe before licking away the sting.

  “So fucking beautiful. And you’re mine. Forever,” he whispered in her ear. With his words she clamped down on him, god, she fit him perfectly, while she started to detonate beneath him. He couldn’t get enough of her, he was completely insatiable when it came to Zoe Alcott and the thought of her wearing his ring sent him into his own climax. He felt his hips slamming into her, her cries of pleasure being swallowed by the one after it until the words “I love you,” were released on an exhale. He fell onto the blanket beside her pulling her so she was draped across his chest. She leaned over and pressed her lips to the starburst scar that marred the skin over his heart. She edged the rest of the way on top of him, draping over him like a blanket. She held out her hand, letting her new ring sparkle in the sunlight. “You know, I did have a speech to go with that,” Logan said dryly.

  “You did?” He nodded his head. “Tell me,” she persisted. He sat up with her back in his lap, her arms going around his neck.

  “Zoe, you mean more to me than anything else in this world. I know it hasn’t been that long, but in that time you’ve managed to bring unbelievable light into what I thought was a forever darkness. You make me a better me just by being you. And I don’t know if I deserve it, but I want it, for the rest of my life. Always. Marry me.” He leaned in with a smile, kissing away the tears that were running down her cheeks. “Is that a yes?”

  “That’s a yes. Always. Forever, yes.”

  “I love you, Zoe.”

  “I love you, so much.”

  She lifted up slightly before lowering herself down on top of him. They took each other into the highest ecstasy, the crescendo of their pleasure filled moans and cries following the rhythm of the waves. The afternoon sun dipped low in the sky giving them privacy, creating a sunset that was unseen in the heat of passion.

  Epilogue

  Max Savage sat at his mother’s dining room table, everyone in a buzz about his brother’s engagement to Zoe. He was happy for them; he loved Zoe and he loved her even more for giving him back the man his brother used to be.

  He clenched his jaw at all the blurry haze of happiness that surrounded them, how Logan couldn’t keep his hands to himself, always touching with quiet whispers, Max continually noticed the faint blush on her cheeks whenever Logan would lean in and say something in her ear. He was finding the room stifling; it was becoming harder and harder to push away the cloud that had been hanging over his head - he wasn’t used to clouds, he was used to sun and light and laughter.

  What the fuck was wrong with him?

  He couldn’t help but notice how Zoe looked at Logan and remembering the only night someone looked at him like that. He needed air.

  Stepping outside into the warm night, he ran his hand over his face. Seeing his brother, the ice man, so in love with his new fiancée had him only thinking of one face, her large blue eyes surrounded by a halo of blonde hair. And the best night of his entire fucking life. He didn’t even know her last name. He’d tried looking for her after that, after she had disappeared from his bed, but without any information - her rule, only first names - he had no idea where to start to find her.

  Maybe he just needed a woman - but at just the thought of it, his stomach churned and he could only hear the sounds of her pleasure filled cries and the hum of his name on her lips as she clenched around him.

  He heard the door open behind him; Aiden stood next to him, leaning his forearms against the railing. “You okay?”

  “Fine.” He knew his one word answer only caused more questions that he ignored in his brother’s eyes.

  “Are you ready for the next one?” He knew his brother was talking about their next mission - it was one that had come up suddenly and Max was the first to volunteer.

  “I’ve never been more ready for anything.”

  He took a long swig of the beer in his hand. He normally looked forward to missions but he couldn’t wait to get on a pla
ne for this one. And get the hell out of his own head.

  The End

  For news on upcoming Savage Series novels, click here to be directed to http://caesarsandstraws.com/

  The next books in J. Woods’ Savage Series:

  SAVAGE PROMISE

  A Savage Series Novel #2

  Max & Brie

  J. Woods Copyright 2014

  You wonderful, wondrous thing you!

  Thank you to my wonderful editor - Sara at Serendipity Editing and her brilliant refining mind - http://serendipityediting.com/

  Thank you to Lan Gao and her extraordinary creativity for designing the cover art.

  About The Author

  J. Woods is a Toronto based writer, mother, and non-conformist. She lives between the space of her green tea and humming laptop when she isn’t chasing after her free spirited daughter. She has studied too many things to count including radio broadcasting and entrepreneurship. Grasping at sanity, she realized writing stories about her insane thoughts was easier than explaining them to a doctor. Not to mention cheaper.

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