by Addison Jane
In…gasp.
Out… holy shit.
Screw it. “Fuck me… hard.”
He stills at my words, pulling his face back. I open my eyes to see him staring down at me, his body still but his eyes telling me everything I need to know. He wants the same thing, to screw us both to the point where nothing else matters, to the point where we can’t breathe.
“I’ll hurt you,” he says softly.
I groan and lift my legs, wrapping them around his waist and digging my heels into his rock hard ass, pushing him further inside me. My knee cries out in pain, the position pulling at the muscles.
“Lily,” he says, trying to be stern but I can see the pure need in his eyes.
“I’m not gonna move my damn legs until you do.”
“Jesus Christ,” he huffs. “Grab on to the fucking headboard. This was meant to be romantic.”
I lift my arms, latching onto the slats of the wooden headboard while staring him in the eyes. “Romance later… make me come.”
A deep growl leaves his throat as I lower my legs back to the bed and dig my heels into the soft mattress. He braces himself over me, his eyes light up with lust. “As you wish.”
The build-up is slow, but the intensity is nothing like I’ve experienced before. It’s like someone has lit my body on fire from the inside and the warmth is spreading outward.
Kace dips his head and latches onto my nipple with his teeth and I scream out. Just that small touch is almost enough to detonate my body and send me flying into space.
Deep hard thrusts, one after another, my body slowly moving up the bed. I try to hold myself in place, but the power he’s throwing behind them is no match for me as my body begins to surrender to my climax.
“Kace!” I moan, feeling like my whole body is now alight.
His mouth claims mine, stealing all the air from my lungs for himself.
My orgasm tears through my body like wildfire and with another twist of his hips, the base of his cock grinds against my clit and another rush consumes me.
“Damn it,” he curses, his lips grazing mine as we both gasp for air. “Lily.”
His hips stall inside me and he tosses his head back, his eyes rolling back into his head. I release the headboard and press my hands against his chest. He has a light sheen of sweat across his body, I notice, as I slide my hands down over his clenched abdominal muscles, loving the feeling of his cock pulsing inside me. He quivers under my touch as I grip his hips and hold him in place.
“You’re gonna be the death of me,” he hisses, pressing his forehead against mine.
“Don’t tell me you saw the pearly gates when you came.” I giggle, still lulling on a pleasant high.
“More like I felt the fires of hell swallowing me whole.” He grins as he runs his nose down the side of my face.
“Guess I better get some sunscreen then, because if that’s where you’re heading… I’ll be right there with you.”
My muscles strain with each lift, pulling my body up until my chin reaches the bar and then back down. Sweat drips from my brow and into my eyes, pain shooting from my ribs and up my arms causing them to shake. The first bullet to my chest had left a massive bruise, but it was the shot to my ribs that had caused the most damage with the doctor telling me there was a possible fracture.
I force myself to fight through the pain, refusing to let it weaken me.
I’ve been through worse.
Footsteps draw my attention, and I watch Lily appear in the doorway holding the Top Secret file Luca handed me yesterday. Her face tells me she’s already looked inside and read the papers that contain information about our funeral arrangements and public records about our deaths.
She shakes it, her face contorting in anger. “A car accident? Is that the best they could do with my life?”
I drop to the ground, shockwaves vibrating through me as I take a few much-needed breaths. She’s frustrated, annoyed that after everything, that’s all her life is worth. The newspapers told that our car had hit a fuel tanker on the back roads outside of Washington DC. We had died on impact and our bodies incinerated.
Taking an agitated step forward, I’m annoyed she didn’t wait for me to go through it with her, knowing that this bullshit would hit her hard. “I thought I told you we’d go through this stuff together. Don’t you trust me?” There’s a sharpness to my voice but I can’t stop it. We’re both tense, both sporting injuries from our escape, and isolated in a cabin in the middle of nowhere.
She tosses the file to the ground like garbage, its contents spreading across the proximity and flapping in the breeze. There’s a picture of a burnt-out tanker on the side of a country road with the headline, ‘COUPLE KILLED IN FIERY COLLISION.’
“Trust you? I gave up my life for you!”
“That how you really feel?” I snap, trying to hide the hurt that strikes my heart.
Her eyes widen as though she’s just realized what she said. She braces her body against the door frame, her shoulders slumping and her eyes downcast. “No, I’m sorry. I’m just frustrated that so many lies are being told and this is what my family will think… that I was practically burned alive.” Her voice is almost a whisper, and I can see the pain on her face as she describes it. “Do you know how that would make them feel? What they would be going through?”
Needing to offer her some kind of comfort, I instantly reach for her. “I get it, but the pain isn’t permanent. We will get through this. We won’t be able to take away the pain already caused, but it will make it better when we can come back to them.”
She eases into my arms, her forehead resting against my chest. “You’re gross and sweaty,” she mumbles, causing me to chuckle softly.
The moment doesn’t last long as I hear the sounds of an engine coming closer which has me bursting into action. My arms grip her body as I rush back inside the house and drop her onto the sofa. She doesn’t say a word as I rush to the front door and grab my rifle. A quick peek out the window shows a motorcycle pulling up to the front of the house. It looks familiar, but I’m not about to take any chances with Lily’s safety.
I flick off the safety on my gun and fling the door open a fraction, eyeing the rider in my sights with a perfect headshot as he removes his helmet.
“Put the gun down, douche bag.” Axel’s voice grumbles loudly as he shakes out his hair and tucks his helmet under his arm. “Four days, and you’ve already become a damn hillbilly.”
As I lower my rifle I roll the tension from my shoulders, clicking the safety back on and letting it hang by my side while I push the door wide open with my foot. “I was about to take your head off.”
He chuckles as he swings his leg over his bike and places his helmet on the seat. “And fuck up this gorgeous face? Go to hell.” He grins as he leaps up the porch and pulls me into a man hug. “It’s good to see you breathing, man.”
I slap him on the back, the adrenaline in my veins slowly beginning to retreat and allowing me to relax. I gesture for him to follow me inside. “It’s gonna take a lot more than Luca’s bad aim to take me out.”
“I don’t know, remember that one time that asset kicked you in the balls? You went down like a sack of shit. I thought we were gonna have to resuscitate.” He laughs, patting me on the back.
Lily starts to giggle. “I think I need to hear this story.”
Axel shoves past me, stepping through into the small living room. “Well, it all started—”
“Unless you want me to beat the shit out of you again, you better not finish that sentence,” I growl, closing the door and setting my gun down beside it.
“Party pooper,” Lily pouts dramatically as I drop to the sofa beside her and Axel takes the lone chair.
I smile and shake my head. “Another day… maybe.” I look over to Axel, raising my eyebrow. “Didn’t expect to see anyone so soon.” My body tightens, alerting me that he had some kind of news to share.
“Well, I come bearing news.” He clears his thr
oat. “We actually had a briefing with Camilla this morning. So, Lily’s funeral is tomorrow and seems boss lady has decided to attend.”
I watch Lily screw up her face and my muscles twitch at just the sound of my mother’s name. “What?”
He sighs. “She’s going to Lily’s funeral,” he confirms the words that I really wish had been a mistake.
I can see the cogs turning over in Lily’s head as she takes in this information. We’re talking about her funeral, while she sits here, healthy and alive. It’s not something anyone would willingly want to discuss even before death, but knowing that tomorrow will be a day for her friends and family to grieve for her life is something we’d never imagine having to do.
I take her hand in mine and link our fingers. “Did she say why?”
Axel shrugs. “I’m guessing it’s all about the image she has to portray… show she’s grieving for her son and his girlfriend.”
Lily snorts in disgust. “Don’t I get a say in this? Can’t I un-invite her?”
Axel smirks. “I’m not sure being dead works that way.”
“Damn,” she mutters.
“I need to be there,” I interject, causing Lily to snap her head up at me in shock.
“Please tell me you’re not talking about you attending my funeral.”
Wincing, I meet her beautiful wide eyes and take a deep breath. “No, I’m talking about both of us going.”
“Luca said you’d say that,” Axel mumbles as if disappointed my smart-ass best friend was right. He knows me well, he knew that I’d want to be there. I trust my team with my life, and on the odd occasion I’ve had to put that trust into action, but when it comes to Camilla, who the fuck knows what she’ll do.
“Kace…” Lily’s eyes glisten in the light, “… you’ve got to be kidding.”
“Listen to your woman, man.”
I hold my hand up, silencing Axel as I hold Lily’s gaze. Pulling her hand to my mouth, I brush my lips against her soft, supple skin. Her hands are cold, so I press them against my warm cheek. “Lily, I know it’ll be hard seeing your family, watching them cry for you. But you know what my mo—” I stop and start again, “Camilla is capable of. She never does anything without motive or without gain.”
“Why can’t one of the Seven come watch me?” she whispers, her voice scratchy with emotion.
I shake my head. “I need every set of eyes and all the skills possible. I need them there because something’s happening, and my team are the only ones who can find out what that is.”
“Don’t you trust Luca?” Axel interjects, leaning back in his seat, watching me carefully as though he’s not entirely convinced this is a good idea. I always tell my team to trust their instincts, but sometimes, I need to pull rank and follow my own.
“I trust Luca, but I don’t trust her. And she’s already suspicious of you guys. What she won’t expect is someone hiding in the shadows,” I explain, continuing to hold on tightly to Lily’s hand, hoping like hell that she can understand where my head is at. I know it will be painful for her, I know that I’m forcing this on her, but I want this to be over sooner rather than later. I want to start a life with Lily far away from my sadistic mother, and the only way to do that is to take her down.
Lily chews on her bottom lip but I can see her resolve. I know I’m a fucking asshole, playing on the fact that she wants this over. She wants her family back and her life, and it makes me want to beat the shit out of myself.
“Okay, whatever you need to do,” she answers softly.
I nod, silently thanking her for the trust she has in me, no matter how crazy or painful this shit is.
“Okay, now that’s sorted, what’s for dinner?” Axel grins, rubbing his hands together.
“Get out, Axel,” I say with a slight smirk.
He chuckles and stands up walking toward the door. “Funeral starts tomorrow at one. Luca will pick you up and take you to the location.”
“Where is it?” Lily asks.
Axel raises an eyebrow in surprise. “Fairfield Cemetery just out of Stafford County, apparently it’s beautiful.” Lily smiles and nods as Axel turns and leaves.
I wave him off from the porch before entering back inside. Lily is in a daze, her eyes flicking back and forth as if she was watching a movie or seeing a memory. “You all right?”
She jerks, but soon settles with her hand pressed to her heart. “Yeah.” She laughs softly but it lacks emotion, and the bright light that usually shines from her face when she’s happy is dull and lifeless. “My grandparents are buried there, it’s where my parents have plots. We used to visit there a lot, lay flowers and stuff.” She shakes her head and pushes to her feet.
I hurry to help her and she rolls her eyes.
“Just never thought my parents would be visiting me there,” she answers honestly as I walk her to the kitchen. She grips my arms, stopping us as we reach the counter. “Are you all right?”
I chuckle, it’s forced but I think I get away with it. My girl, always worried about everyone but herself. “I’m fine, baby. I’ll figure it out tomorrow with the team. Everything will be good.”
She tilts her head slightly. “You don’t think Camilla will hurt anyone do you?”
I shake my head automatically. “It’s a public place, she wouldn’t dare. Too many innocent witnesses that she has no control over.”
“Good,” she hums softly before a smile tugs at the corner of her perfect lips. “You know, I always wondered what my mother-in-law would be like. This…” she grins, “… this brings whole new meaning to mother-in-law from hell.”
I laugh and boy does it feel good. Pulling her into my chest, I rub my hands up and down her arms. “You gonna be okay with this? If there were another op—”
“Kace, it’s fine,” she growls, pinching my side. “I understand why you want to be there. You know her best. It’ll be hard seeing their faces and their tears, knowing that I could put a stop to them instantly if they just knew. Knowing I could take that heartache away in a second…” she pauses for a moment, and I wonder if it’s such a good idea.
What if she can’t hold herself back?
What if it all becomes too much?
But when she looks up at me, I see it, the belief in her eyes, the belief in me.
“But I know it will be over soon, I just have to hold on a little longer.”
Fuck! This woman.
“You’re so fucking strong,” I tell her, pulling back so I can see her face. Her cheeks go rosy, and she pushes against my chest. “No, listen, you’re stronger than even you realize. Believe me when I say this is not forever. The forever I have planned for us is vast and happy and full of fucking amazingness.”
Sure, my way with words might be fucking shitty, but her giggle brightens my mood, lifting me up, reminding me of why I’m fighting this fight. This is my mess. That’s my mom trying to destroy us and everything I’ve worked so hard for, that my father fought for. I couldn’t place that burden on my team and stand on the sidelines, that isn’t me, that’s not how I work.
“You could give Shakespeare a run for his money.” She laughs, jesting me.
“To be or not to be…” I say dramatically, throwing my hands in the air.
This only makes her laugh harder, her hands clutching the counter to stop from falling. “Don’t be. Please… just don’t be.”
I tickle her sides. “I’m gonna grab some firewood.”
She nods, waving me off. “I’ll start dinner,” she says in between bouts of laughter.
I can’t help but smile as I walk away, pushing through the back door and down onto the grass where there’s a large round tree stump and an axe stabbed into the center. I yank it out and place a log on the top, balancing it strategically before I step back and lift the axe above my shoulder. Swinging down, pain shoots through my ribs with the crack of the wood, the vibrations resonating up my hands and through my body, torturing the ache.
With a firm grit of my teeth I swin
g again, more pain, the log of wood flying in opposing directions, split straight down the center. My hand twitches, wanting to move and cradle my side where the dull thud has now turned into a powerful stabbing sensation, but I hear my mother’s voice like a ghost in my head and I freeze.
“Don’t you dare!” she yelled from across the room as I fight to catch the breath that had just been knocked from my lungs. “You show them where you’re hurt, and they will use that weakness against you,” she scolded.
I heaved in a deep breath and looked to my father who stood to my left. He was my sparring partner, and while he always pushed me to the max, he never drove me as hard as Mom did.
She wanted me to be the best and she wouldn’t let me settle for anything less. If that meant pushing me past the limits of consciousness, she’d do it.
The pain started to ease, and I kept my hands fisted at my sides, not wanting to anger her, needing her praise.
“Good boy!” She smiled, almost like a switch had flicked and she looked at me with pride in her eyes. “Continue.”
“He’s had enough,” my father argued, his body relaxing from his fighting pose.
“He’s fine. He can keep going, Jack,” she encouraged, waving off Dad’s concerns.
“No. I said, enough,” he snapped, throwing a stern glare at Mom who almost stepped back at its intensity.
She licked her lips. “Fine. I have my own training to do. I’ll see you both in an hour for dinner.” With that she turned and exited the small arena, and as the door clicked closed my body fell to my knees and I dry reached, my stomach churning with exhaustion. A waste basket was kicked beside me and my father dropped to the floor with me, placing a water bottle next to my aching body.
“Thanks, Dad,” I huffed.
“You’re tough, Kace, much more than I was at your age.”
I inhaled the complement, feeling my body fill with pride at his words. That was all I ever wanted, to be like him, to do what he did. The bad people in this world would do anything to take control, to destroy our country and break us down. But him and my mom, they stopped them. They fought for the little people. They were my superheroes.
