“Or you could join me,” she tossed over her shoulder.
“Thank you, gods of Gravas.” He sent up the heartfelt prayer as he followed in her wake, pulled along by the promise of more, the hint of sensuality and lighthearted teasing.
No woman had ever played with him before. Sex had been hot and quick with other partners, with little said between them. Etta was different in all ways.
Her boots were off, her pants a puddle on the floor when he got there, leaving her wearing only a skimpy pair of panties. Her skin glowed. Surely no star had ever shone so bright.
“Are you going to undress?”
He made quick work of his shirt. The rest of it followed until only his battlesuit remained. He couldn’t stop looking at her long enough to finish. Her full nipples were puckered into little buds that seemed darker because of her pale skin.
She hooked her fingers into the waistband of her panties and pushed them down, bending forward to remove them. He almost swallowed his tongue when her breasts swayed. It was so natural, so erotic.
On a growl, he stripped his battlesuit off and stalked toward her. His gaze narrowed until there was nothing but Etta. He scented her arousal and breathed deep. Spice and cinnamon made his mouth water. He had to taste her.
She took a step back and then another until she was against the wall of the gel cleansing unit. “If you want me to stop, tell me now.” His voice was so low and guttural he almost didn’t recognize it. A haze of lust threatened to consume him. He shook his head, trying to clear his senses.
Etta opened her arms to him and sealed her fate.
****
What am I doing?
Chance had brought them together. Or maybe it was destiny. Whatever the reason, she couldn’t regret it. No matter what happened when they reached their destination, the girls would be safe. She couldn’t say the same for herself. Kyler was one man against an entire planet of warriors. Plus, he had honor. And she would never ask or expect him to betray that.
She didn’t always understand him. In the short time they’d known each other, he’d frustrated, angered, and hurt her. On the flip side, he’d also made her feel beautiful, important, and cared for. And safe, safer than she’d ever felt in her entire life. In short, he confused the heck out of her, but she wanted him. If she only had days to live, she was going to make the most of them.
Nearly all of her life had been spent hiding—emotions, ambitions, wants. It had been about survival. But for the duration of this trip, she was free to do as she pleased.
Her plan had been to entice Kyler. The way he’d kissed her in the control room had shocked and delighted her. Whatever was going on inside his mind, he wanted her, had fought it as she had, but was just as helpless against it.
Then he’d tried to walk away, even though he was hard and aroused—no hiding the bulge in his pants. And why had he tried to leave her? Because he was worried about her and wanted to take care of her.
Whatever barriers had remained between them had dissolved. Here on this ship, they were a man and a woman. No pasts, no obligations.
Whatever had possessed her to tease him, she had no idea. Being sexually forward was new to her. She was quite enjoying it.
But she’d unleashed something darker and deeper than she’d ever imagined. His black eyes were molten. The tether that he always seemed to keep on his emotions had slipped, leaving her with the true man, the feral beast that lived beneath the calm image he projected to the world.
Lost and lonely. He was both, just as she was. They were kindred souls in that.
Back against the wall and him an immovable force in front of her, she was truly trapped. Yet it wasn’t fear welling inside her, but a need so deep and strong she didn’t know if it could ever be satisfied.
“Kyler.”
He shook his head, went to his knees before her, hooked one of her legs over his shoulder, and leaned forward. She could barely breathe. Anticipation stretched to the snapping point when all he did was stare. Balancing on one foot, she clutched his shoulders for support. His big hands gripped her hips, holding her in place.
“You smell sweet and spicy.” The low rumble of his voice sent shivers of longing shooting out to every part of her. He raised his head. There was no hint of a smile. If anything, his intensity level had ramped up to another level. “You smell like home.”
Before she could comprehend what that meant, he dragged his tongue over the lips of her sex. It was rough and tender in turns as he explored and probed, tasting and mapping every part of her. Excerpt for her clit.
She squirmed, trying to get him closer to where she wanted him, but he pulled away, teasing, promising without delivering.
Desire cranked tighter. She yanked on his hair, but still, he didn’t give in to her demand. “You’re killing me,” she gasped. She would have slid to the floor of the unit if it weren’t for his hold on her hips.
“Never,” he fiercely replied. When his lips finally wrapped around the tender nub of nerves, her stomach clenched. When he sucked, the top almost blew off her head.
“Yes. Yes. Yes.” She bucked her hips. It wasn’t enough. So close. His tongue lashed the small bud and the world around her exploded. She arched back and cried out as her body melted from her orgasm. But he didn’t stop, didn’t relent. The release went on and on until it was almost painful.
“Stop.” This time, she tried to drag his head away.
He growled, his eyes gone feral. “Never.”
She didn’t know whether to laugh, cry, or run. All she could do was ride out the storm she’d unleashed. He did lower her leg back to the floor. She gave the wall her full weight as he slowly got to his feet. His grip on her hips slid upward to her waist. The muscles in his arms flexed as he lifted her as though she weighed nothing. His cock pressed against her stomach and her sheath contracted, empty and needy. One orgasm hadn’t been enough. She wrapped her legs around his waist, opening herself fully.
“See me.” He held her with one arm and used his free hand to cup her chin. His lips were damp from her juices and when he kissed her, she tasted herself.
“Always.” There was no one else in the universe like Kyler el Darkos.
The head of his cock nudged at her opening. She held her breath as he sank into her one slow inch at a time until he was buried to the hilt. They were both gasping. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple. “Mine.” His claim should have gotten her back up. She’d fought her entire life for independence, not to be under any man’s authority.
But Kyler was nothing like the men in her family. His possession was a vow to protect, to see to her comfort and well-being. She wanted so badly to believe him that her heart ached. At this moment, at least, it was true.
“Where have you gone?” He caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger.
She shook her head, not willing to bring up the differences between them. Not here. Not now. “Love me.” It was what she needed.
He gave another of those sexy growls and began to thrust, stretching her sheath each time he plunged inward. Everywhere he touched seemed to brand her skin. He was so big, so larger than life. It would be easy to be consumed by him.
She hooked her legs more tightly around him and rolled her hips, trying to get closer. Heat radiated from him. Black eyes watched her intently, gauging her every reaction, every emotion, stripping her emotionally bare. She started to close her eyes, but he leaned down and nipped the sensitive skin at the curve of her neck. It was jolting and arousing.
“Keep looking at me.” Since it seemed so important to him, she lost herself in his eyes, staring deeply into the abyss of his soul.
His thrusts grew harder, deeper. He looked more like a man in pain than one experiencing pleasure. Her tender heart aching, she pressed her lips against his, capturing his tortured moan. His entire body stiffened, and she was flooded with his release. It seemed to go on forever. He kept thrusting, angling his body so his pelvis brushed her clit with each stroke. Pleasure roll
ed through her, not as intense as the first time, but somehow more satisfying, as this time they were together.
Tilting her head back, she stared up at the white ceiling as her heart and breathing calmed. She was hot and sticky and content. Kyler buried his face against her neck and licked the spot he’d bitten earlier. She scrunched her shoulders up, not sure if she wanted to laugh or cry. Her skin was incredibly sensitive.
His back was slick when she ran her hands over it before burying them in his hair. A quick tug and he was looking at her. “Don’t hurt me again like you did back at the bar. Be honest. Don’t lie.”
His entire body stiffened. “I didn’t lie. I just didn’t tell you the truth. You made assumptions.”
“But you did it for a reason.” They were still intimately joined but were already drifting apart. “It hurt me. I can’t do this”—she squeezed her inner muscles around his still hard shaft—“if you lie to me.” It was important he understand. “I’m not asking you to betray your king or world. Just don’t use me as a pawn in your plans again or I’ll walk away.”
“Blackmail?” There was a hard thread in his silken voice.
She shook her head. “Self-preservation. You’ve gotten too close, too fast. You can hurt me more than anyone I’ve ever known.” Maybe it wasn’t smart to tell him that, but there was no time for deception. “You already have. Don’t do it again.”
Gods, she wished she could get a glimpse into his mind. Other than the twitch of a muscle under one eye, there was no indication of his intentions.
He reached around her and pressed the controls on the gel cleansing unit. A fine mist rained down over them. She pushed gently at his shoulders, but he ignored her attempts to get away from him.
When the drying light came on, she shook her head. “Neither one of us is clean.” Not with their fronts still plastered together.
His mouth came down on hers, hard and furious. He didn’t kiss her. He consumed her. If their lovemaking had been intense earlier, now it was off the charts. Time lost all meaning. His fingers played over her skin, soft and hard in turn. All she could do was hang on as he drove them both up and over again.
When he finally pulled out, she would have been happy to curl up on the floor and nap. He held her up and set the gel cleanser on, this time making sure they were both clean before carrying her to his big bed.
She immediately rolled onto her side and curled her legs upward. Exhaustion dragged her toward sleep. The mattress dipped slightly. Strong arms wrapped around her, offering warmth and protection. When he pressed his lips to her hair, her eyes filled with tears. She refused to let them fall.
“I’m sorry.”
Shocked by the apology, she remained still and kept her breathing even, not that she truly believed she was fooling him. Kyler was too aware, too well trained to be deceived. It wasn’t much in the scheme of things, but to a man like him, it was huge.
“Lights off,” he instructed the computer. When the room went dark, she stiffened slightly. “Baseboard lights on,” he amended. A row of dim bulbs began to glow along the edge of the floor.
“Why?” she asked without turning to face him.
“Because you prefer it.”
That he’d noticed the lights in her bedroom didn’t surprise her. There was little that slipped by him. She waited for him to ask why, but the question never came. “Don’t you want to know why?”
“Only if you wish to tell me.” He nuzzled her temple, his breath warm on her skin.
“I never felt safe.” The truth made her chest ache. There’d never been a time in her life she’d felt secure enough to sleep in the dark. She took a deep breath and continued. “The dark was often used as punishment.” Those times were over, and she was no longer a child. “Turn them off.”
“You’re sure?”
She nodded, still facing away.
“Lights off.” Safe in Kyler’s arms, the darkness wrapped around her like a blanket. She waited for the fear and unease to creep in. It never came. With a ragged sigh, she gave in to exhaustion and slept.
Chapter Fourteen
“Are we there yet?”
Etta smothered a laugh as Maggs asked Kyler the question for about the hundredth time. The days that had passed since their escape from Mortis had been the best of her life. Her sisters were changing before her very eyes, becoming more animated and less guarded.
Fear had kept them self-contained for too many years.
And for the first time in memory, she could breathe without worrying about looking over her shoulder for fear of her brother or Helldrick. A huge weight was gone from her. She was sleeping well, too. And it was all due to the man who was taking her to face Gravasian justice. The irony wasn’t lost on her.
“Not yet,” he replied, patiently. The man seemed to have an endless supply when it came to the girls. “Another day.” His jaw tightened a mere fraction. Even a week ago, she might not have caught the telltale sign. As much as he pretended otherwise, he was worried.
The novelty of traveling on a spaceship had faded, but the girls weren’t bored. They were used to amusing themselves, and Kyler had given them unlimited access to books, as well as educational programming.
He’d even turned the cargo bay into a glorified playroom, allowing them to run and jump and dance and be as active as they chose. Again, he’d set up a portable viewing screen that allowed them to take dance lessons or explore various martial arts classes appropriate to their ages.
He’d make a wonderful father.
Regret pierced her heart that it wouldn’t be her who’d share that with him. It wasn’t exactly fatalistic, but realistic.
“Don’t be sad.” Sera stood beside her chair and patted her arm.
“I’m not, sweetheart.” She hugged her sister. “I’m just thinking.”
“You’re worried.” Sera was far too observant for her age. Or maybe it was her emerging abilities that made her that way. The more they’d talked during the trip, the more both girls had opened up about things they experienced and their dreams. There was no denying they had psychic ability.
As much as she hated to do anything to add to her sister’s burdens, she couldn’t put off this discussion any longer. “When we reach Gravas, you’ll be safe.” She didn’t want any doubts in Sera’s mind about that.
Her green eyes were solemn, her golden skin paling slightly. “But you won’t be.” She shot Kyler and accusing glare.
Etta cupped her sister’s face and brought it back around to her. “It’s not his fault. I did something I shouldn’t have.” Gods, it hurt to have to admit this. “It hurt someone. There are consequences for actions.”
Sera studied her intently. “You did it for us, didn’t you?”
Her first instinct was to deny it, but she refused to lie. “I have no regrets. There’s nothing I won’t do to keep the two of you safe. I love you.” She drew her sister inward, ignoring her stiff little body.
Sera gave a cry and hugged her tight. “I don’t want to lose you, too.”
Eyes burning, she rocked her sister. “I don’t want to lose you, either.”
“Why is Etta crying?”
“She’s afraid,” Kyler told Maggs.
Etta almost laughed. “Why?” and “Are we there yet?” had become her sister’s two most favorite sentences. For a girl who had talked very little, she’d become quite vocal.
Because she felt safe.
Etta understood all too well what it was like to grow up with Helldrick as a father. Their mother had done her best to shield them, but they’d all been prisoners in his world.
It wasn’t up to him to explain things. She rubbed the tears from her face and offered Maggs a watery smile. “I was telling Sera that you’ll both be fine. I may have to go away.” That was the best way to put it. Maggs might be a young seer, but she was a child who needed reassurance.
Maggs’s red curls danced when she shook her head. “No, we’ll be together.”
“Did you dream it?�
�� she dared to ask, willing to cling to any hope.
“No. I just know.”
Her thread of hope crushed, she managed to keep the smile on her face. “Whatever happens, you and Sera will be together.”
Sera took her sister’s hand. “Let’s dance.”
Etta was grateful to her for distracting Maggs. The two of them headed to the cargo bay. “We’re practicing a routine. We’ll show you later,” her youngest sister called over her shoulder.
“I’m looking forward to it.” She buried her face in her hands, squeezed her eyes together, and tried not to burst into tears. Her chest swelled, the ache expanding until it threatened to burst.
Kyler plucked her from her chair and dragged her against him. Everything about him was so familiar now—his masculine scent, the way their bodies fit together, his touch. He liked to sleep on the outside of the bed, closest to the door. In case of a breach, he’d told her. He might appear cold and unfeeling to most, but he interacted freely with the girls, answering their questions and seeing to their needs before they were even voiced.
He noticed everything.
When he’d observed that she enjoyed a flatbread that was stored in the galley auto-cooker, it suddenly began to appear once a day at meals. A newer data pad had been provided for Maggs, loaded with every drawing and painting program in existence. Sera’s most prized possession was a data pad filled with a library of books, all hers to read at a touch.
He did so much and asked nothing in return.
Still, she’d like to believe he got something out of their relationship—beyond the sex, which was smoking hot. She’d seen him almost grin when the girls danced for them, seen his eyes lighten when one of them went to him with a question.
Like the girls, like her, he was changing. In their own way, they’d become a makeshift family.
And she was going to lose it.
Kyler's Justice (Assassins of Gravas Book 3) Page 14
