by Elizabeth
He tightened his arms around her and realized the only sensible thing to do was end this before it went any further.
* * *
The next afternoon, Killer walked into the cool villa from the patio and sat down on the couch while Marissa sat reading a magazine.
“Will you do anything I command you to do?” he asked.
She gazed up at him. “Yes.”
“You trust me?”
She nodded. “Of course.”
His lips compressed. He should scold her for trusting so easily, but the fact of the matter was that he wanted to encourage that trust because right now it suited his purpose.
“What if I wanted to share you with someone? Or I commanded you to be with another man?”
Light sparked in her eyes and he knew this was a fantasy she must have entertained in the past.
“Would you still obey me?”
She hesitated a breath, then answered, “Yes.”
“And what if I ordered you to submit to several men. At the same time.”
“I would trust you and do as you said.”
He smiled, noting the glimmer of excitement in her eyes. “Good.”
Of course, he could tell she didn’t really believe he’d do it. But clearly the idea, if not the reality, excited her. And it sure fucking well excited him.
“Go in the bedroom. You’ll find something in there to put on.”
She walked down the hall and he waited. She returned ten minutes later in the skimpy black leather bra and thong he’d left on the bed. His groin tightened at the sight of her round breasts lifted high and straining against the top of the leather bra.
“Come over here.” He slid his gaze up and down her body as she approached. A flush of excitement turned her skin a soft, glowing pink.
He patted the couch beside him and she sat down. He pulled a key from his pocket and slipped it into one of the cups of the bra.
“What’s that for?” she asked.
He just shrugged, then took her hand and led her outside and across the patio toward the sandy beach where the bed was. Her eyes widened when she saw a wooden stock near the bed. He walked right to it.
“Put your head and arms in,” he instructed.
It was open and ready for her. She leaned over and rested her neck on the large, padded, half-circle opening, and rested her wrists in the smaller ones on each side.
He latched the device closed and stepped back.
He walked around her, his gaze taking in the sight of her bent over, unable to stand up, her hands trapped.
* * *
Marissa watched him step into her line of sight again and craned her neck to gaze at his face, rather than his crotch in front of her.
“Comfortable?” he asked, a glint of amusement in his eyes.
“You’re kidding, right?”
He laughed and stepped behind her. She started as his big hand glided up her thigh, then over her ass. He cupped her, then his fingers stroked over the leather crotch of her skimpy panties.
“What about now?”
The feel of his fingers stroking her there made her quiver with need, but she shook her head.
“Not really.”
His fingers stilled. “You want me to stop.”
“I didn’t say that.”
He laughed again. She liked the deep rumbling sound. He’d always been so serious before this, but now he seemed more relaxed. More… playful maybe.
He stroked her a couple more times. His attention, and the situation, had made her wet with need.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“You’re leaving me here?”
She heard the patio door open.
“Don’t worry. You won’t be alone for long.”
As she stood there immobile, her ass hiked in the air, she watched the waves roll onto the shore, the soft crashing sound relaxing her as she waited for Killer to return.
He’d painted a picture of a hot fantasy with her and one or more men. Did he intend to bring out toys to simulate another man? Or several? Would he glide his big cock into her then press a silicon erection into her back passage?
She squirmed a little at the thought of him filling her both ways. Heat washed through her, not only at the thought of the physical stimulation, but at the thought that Killer was becoming more playful. Could this turn into a real relationship between them?
“Hello, Marissa.”
Her eyes widened and her head jerked upward, straining her neck.
Rip stood in front of her. All tattooed, masculine, dangerous, six plus feet of him.
Her heart pounded loudly and she could barely find her voice.
“What are you doing here?” The words came out barely louder than a whisper.
He stepped closer and her heart hammered faster. Then she realized she wasn’t as helpless as she seemed.
“Go away right now or I’ll scream. I’m here with someone and he’ll come out here and—”
“You mean Killer?”
Her gaze darted to his face, and his smug smile.
“He invited me here.”
She could barely breathe. She felt faint and her body began to tremble.
“No, that can’t be.” She trusted Killer. “He wouldn’t…”
“Wouldn’t what? Serve you up to your ex-boyfriend? Force you to face him? To finally listen to him?”
She stared at him and tears welled in her eyes. She blinked them back, but not before he noticed.
He crouched down, his face a foot from hers. “Marissa, what do you think I’m going to do to you?”
She drew in a breath and stared at the face that had haunted her dreams for so long. The face of the man she had thought she’d loved, but who now just sent fear rippling through her.
“Hurt me,” she said in a small voice.
His eyes filled with concern as he reached out his hand and stroked her hair. His touch was gentle, almost comforting.
He shook his head. “I never wanted to hurt you, Marissa.”
He stood up and pulled on the top of the stock. It didn’t open. “Where’s the key for this thing?”
She became very conscious of the hard key between her breasts, tucked there by Killer earlier, but she didn’t say anything.
Rip crouched in front of her again. “Marissa, I want to talk to you face-to-face. Not your face to my crotch.”
He stood up, and despite her fear of the man, she couldn’t help remembering opening his jeans and sliding her hand inside and pulled out his big, thick cock, then gliding her lips around it. She remembered the feel of it in her mouth. She ran her tongue over her dry lips.
“Are you sure you want to let me go? Aren’t you afraid I’ll run?”
He glanced at her face. “Where would you go? I can run faster than you, and my friends are just around the corner.”
“And if I go into the villa, Killer will just bring me back out here and lock me in again, right?”
He nodded.
It had hurt when she found out what kind of man Rip was, and she’d lived with that pain for a long time now. But Killer’s betrayal hurt even more.
He crouched in front of her again, resting his hands on his thighs.
“Marissa, I just want to talk to you.”
She drew in a deep, quivering breath.
“Killer put the key in my bra.”
“Fuck.” But Rip stood up. “Which side?”
“The right.”
He walked to her side, then she felt his hand slide along the naked skin between her breasts. Her nipples peaked at his touch. Which was crazy! What was wrong with her?
She held her breath as his fingers glided over the bottom of her right breast, squeezing a little, pushing the hard metal key against her flesh.
“There it is.” His fingers slid inside the leather of her bra and over her nipple, which hardened at the stimulation of his big, masculine fingers.
He got the key and pulled it out, then unlocked the stock and op
ened it. He helped her stand up and, holding her wrist snuggly, led her forward. She was a bit unsteady on her feet, so when he guided her to sit down, she did.
Then she realized she was sitting on the bed beside him. She tried to pull away, but he had a firm hold on her wrist
“Just relax. I already told you. I just want to talk to you.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“Why should I lie? It’s not as if I have to trick you into bed at this point.”
He smiled, clearly joking about the fact they were sitting together on a big, comfortable king-sized bed. And he could do anything he wanted to her.
But she thought about the fact that even though they’d dated for two months, they had never gone to bed together. Never had sex. Well, not full out sex. They’d enjoyed oral sex one time, but he’d stopped it firmly at that, and only the one time.
She had wanted more. Had dreamed of him in her bed, stroking her until her body tingled with need, then him driving his big cock into her.
“Why didn’t you ever take me to bed?”
His lips turned up in a grin. “Really? That’s the question you want to ask me?”
“Well, uh…”
“Not why I was part of a criminal gang?” His grin faded away. “Not why I walked away? Not why I was accused of killing a woman?”
She began to tremble. “Did you kill her?”
“No.”
She glanced up at him. At his open, frank gaze, she could almost believe him.
“But you were part of a criminal gang. And your friend was convicted of killing her, and you were named as an accomplice.”
“Yes and no. I was part of a gang, but he wasn’t my friend. None of them were my friends.”
She frowned. “You don’t get along with them? Why do you stay?”
“I didn’t. I’m not with them anymore.”
“But I saw you riding with others when you were chasing me.”
His eyebrow arched. “You saw us? I thought we were close at one point.”
He gazed at her. “The people I’m riding with now. They are my friends.”
She shook her head. “Okay, so you’ve changed from one gang to another. Why are you here?”
Did he think it would make a difference to her? Was it possible he thought that he could talk her into coming back to him?
He took her hand and tugged lightly, turning her to face him. “I’m here because I want to tell you that I’m not a criminal. I was part of that gang, it’s true, but only because I was undercover.”
She blinked as the words sank in. “Undercover?”
“That’s right. I was an undercover cop. I had infiltrated that gang as part of my job.”
Her chest compressed. Could it be true?
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I couldn’t. It was too dangerous. For you and for me.” He shook his head. “The reality is, I never should have gotten close to you. I never should have put you in that situation, knowing I couldn’t tell you the truth.”
“Why did you?”
His lips compressed. “Because I was weak. I wanted to be with a woman who didn’t think I was a criminal. I wanted a taste of a normal life.” He squeezed her hand. “I knew it couldn’t last. I knew it would all come crashing to a halt at some point. And that wasn’t fair to you.”
“So you knew it wouldn’t last between us right from the beginning.” All the hopes and dreams she’d had about them had been destined to failure right from the beginning.
“I’m sorry.” He stroked her cheek lightly, sending a tremor through her. “But I really wanted it to. More than anything.”
She gazed into his eyes, all the fear and anxiety about him hurting her seeping away, leaving an emotional void and quickly filled with a heated need. She had loved this man, then feared him when she thought he would cause her physical harm. But now that she knew he was really a good and caring man, all the strong feelings came tumbling back. Warm, heady longing to be in his arms. To be cared for by him. To feel his lips on hers. To feel his hands on her body.
She leaned closer, and his eyes heated. He leaned closer, too, both of them caught up in the moment. His mouth merged with hers, tentatively at first, then more firmly. His arms came around her, his lips moved on hers, triggering a deep need within her.
She wanted to experience what she’d never had a chance to with him. To explore his big, naked body. To join with him in the most intimate of ways. To ride him to a pleasure they’d never experienced together.
Suddenly, he drew back.
“Marissa, I…” He grasped her hands and drew them from his shoulders. “I’m sorry. I came here to explain to you what happened. I felt I owed you that. But… we can’t be together.”
Her eyes widened and she drew back, his rejection like a slap across the face. “I’m sorry, I…” But she trailed off, shaking her head. What could she say? That she was desperate to jump his bones?
She was so confused. She had strong feelings for Killer, but he was a bad-assed biker, which was exactly what she didn’t want. And now she’d found out that Rip, whom she’d thought was a criminal biker, was actually a cop. Or ex-cop, but a good, dependable, non-criminal man.
He took her hand and squeezed gently. “Under other circumstances... It’s just that I’m with someone now.”
She gazed at him and nodded. “Of course. She’s very lucky.”
Rip glanced at her skimpy black leather bra, then back to her face. “I think your friend Killer was doing a little matchmaking.”
“My friend? I thought he was your friend.”
“He and I rode in rival gangs. Apparently, he knows I was an ex-cop.”
“He knows? How?” Her eyes widened. “Are you in danger from him?”
If Killer was a criminal and knew about Rip…
“Nothing like that. Look, you need to talk to him about this. It’s his story to tell.” Rip stood up. “I know this is a lot to take in. I’m going back to my friends, but I’ll be back. We can sit down and I’ll answer any questions you have. All right?”
She nodded, then watched as he walked away and disappeared around the side of the villa.
She sat for a few minutes, listening to the sound of the waves rolling onto the shore. Crashing, then washing away. It helped settle the tumultuous emotions flooding through her. Relief that she wasn’t in danger from Rip, and never had been. Anger that she had let fear drive her for so long.
She glanced at the patio doors. And annoyance that Killer had known that she was in no danger from Rip, but let her go on believing she was.
She stood up and marched into the villa. Killer sat in a chair in the living room, a book on his lap, but he wasn’t even pretending to read it.
“Why did you bring Rip here?”
“Because you and he have unfinished business.”
“And you felt that throwing us together, in a situation designed to lead to sex, was a good idea?”
He shrugged. “Why not? You two were lovers, so I thought it would help warm things up. And having you immobilized gave the guy a chance to talk to you without you running away.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “You know about Rip… that he was an ex-cop. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It wasn’t up to me to tell you.” He put his book on the table and stood up. “And I thought it was more important to help you get over the feeling of helplessness you were struggling with.”
“So you’re an expert on what I need.”
His eyes flashed with annoyance. “Look, I didn’t ask to be saddled with you. I have issues of my own I’m dealing with and you were an unwelcome distraction.”
She felt the blood drain from her face, and she was afraid she would stumble. An unwelcome distraction.
She turned and walked toward the bedroom, anxious to get out of this leather outfit and into something more covering.
Anxious to get as far away from here as possible.
“Wait!”
She stopped in her tracks, automatically following his command, despite her need to flee from him.
He walked toward her. “Fuck, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.”
He grasped her shoulder and turned her to face him. “I came to this island to be by myself. To have quiet time to think some things through.” His amber gaze locked with hers. “When I said you were unwelcome, I just meant I wasn’t sure how to deal with you and my own shit at the same time. But what I did… I was running on instinct, but it felt like what you needed.”
He tucked his finger under her chin and lifted, locking gazes with her. “I do give a shit about you and…” He stroked her cheek with his finger. “If you weren’t in love with another man…”
“I’m… not in love with Rip. I mean, I thought I was. There’s definitely an attraction between us, but…” She searched her heart and realized it was true. “It’s not love.”
“You’re not in love with him?” He looked doubtful.
She shook her head. “And he’s not in love with me. In fact, he’s with another woman.”
Suddenly, she found herself crushed against his body, her lips devoured by his, his tongue gliding into her. Her breath caught and she melted against him.
“I thought the two of you would reconcile out there on the beach, then he’d steal you away, back into his life. The two of you would ride off into the sunset and live out your happily-ever-after.”
She gazed at him. “There’s no happily-ever-after for Rip and I. We just weren’t meant to be.”
“What about you and me?” he asked, his fiery gaze searing her.
“You and me?” She shook her head, confusion pummeling through her.
His lips compressed, but he scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom. He made love to her, fast and furious, driving her to a sudden, explosive climax.
Afterward, he drew her close to his body. She barely moved, wanting to savor the closeness of his body, but not wanting to think too much. The emotional rollercoaster of this day had left her exhausted, so she allowed herself to fade into a deep sleep.
* * *
Killer awoke to a soft hand stroking his face. He opened his eyes to see Marissa’s lovely, heart-shaped face on the pillow beside him, kissably close. A smile curled her lips and her soft brown eyes shone brightly.
