I sigh. “Your Mom isn’t entirely wrong.” Mabel bustles to the booth and sets down a plate of biscuits and a gravy boat. I concentrate on passing out the plates, and then the owner returns with a plate stacked with fried chicken and a big bowl of mashed potatoes.
“Better dig in before it gets cold,” I advise and shove a chicken wing into my mouth. If I’m chewing, I can’t be talking, and I need to figure out what to say.
My gaze finds Sabrina, and she’s chewing thoughtfully. She had this conversation with her daughter earlier today, and it resulted in driving Lex straight to me. If we don’t handle this thing delicately, it will backfire. Big time.
I finish the wing and set the bones down on my plate. “Lex, I want to tell you how much I’ve enjoyed the time we spent together. I think you’re a great kid, and I’m happy to finally know you.” My daughter smiles at me, and I almost can’t get the next sentence out of my mouth.
“That being said, your mother is right. I need a little time to settle a few things.”
Lex’s face falls, and it feels like someone buried their boot in my gut. “You don’t want me.”
“That’s not it at all,” I say, putting my arm around her. “I think you’re a remarkable young person. It has nothing at all to do with me liking you. I think you’re great.”
“Then why won’t you stick around? Don’t you want to see me?” Great teardrops well up in her eyes, eyes so like mine. How could I ever think she wasn’t my daughter?
“Of course I do, sweetheart. It just isn’t the right time. Not yet. But I promise you, I’m going to work things out soon.”
“Sure,” she says, pulling away from me. Listlessly poking at her food, she keeps her eyes trained on her plate.
There is an awkward silence that persists for a few minutes, but it feels long enough for a funeral to take place. My funeral.
“Aren’t you hungry?” Sabrina says to Lex, breaking the silence.
“Not really,” Lex says, wiping at her eyes.
“I think we should get you home,” Sabrina says, giving me a concerned glance. “Thanks, Ax. For everything.”
“I’m sorry,” is all I can think to say, but it gets no response from either of them. Sabrina gives me a nod before ducking out the door. I watch through the window as she puts an arm around Lex and leads her to her car.
Fuck, that hurt, I think. Worse than the time I got tangled in razor wire during a night op. I’d rather crawl through a hundred miles of razor wire than feel like I do right now.
I head home, throwing the leftovers that Mabel carefully packed into the fridge and grabbing a beer. I fall into one of the armchairs, taking a deep draw on the bottle.
Telling Lex I couldn’t see her was horrible. I comprehend now why Sabrina was so mad at me last night. Betraying the hope of a sweet little girl feels worse than any of the things I did in the military, or in prison. I feel lower than dog shit.
A couple of beers later, there’s a knock on my door. I half expect to find my brother behind the door, and a flash of anger consumes me. I jerk open the door, knowing that if I see his face there, I’m going to punch him hard enough to pop his skull and see his brains leak out.
But it isn’t Brent standing on my doorstep. It’s Sabrina. “Can I come in?”
I step back without saying anything, and she walks into the cabin and stands in front of the fireplace.
“I wasn’t expecting you,” I say lamely.
She nods her head, a timid expression on her delicate features. “I just came over to thank you for what you did today. I was out of my mind with worry, and you brought my daughter back to me.” She takes a few steps toward me until she’s close enough to touch my arm. “Thank you, Ax.”
Although I like the feeling of her depending on me, it isn’t enough to displace the anxiety inside me. When we’d been at Mabel’s with Lex, I couldn’t tell her the rest of the story of what happened this afternoon. It isn’t right to keep it from her now.
“Sabrina, have a seat,” I say, motioning toward the couch. I sit down beside her and lace my fingers together tight to keep my hands on my lap. If I touch her, I’m lost.
I have to reveal the rest of the story. Have to tell her the truth and risk losing her forever.
Goddamn. Why does everything I do lately feel like it’s the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do?
38
Sabrina
Ax looks nervous, his hands clamped tightly in his lap. It reminds me of how he used to look in high school before a big test. It’s an endearing look, and it makes me feel warm inside.
His expression is serious when he turns to me. “When you called me, I was just as worried as you about our daughter. I’ve never felt that way before. It was overwhelming.”
“Welcome to parenthood,” I reply with a wry smile.
“I think you were right to keep Lex away from me,” he says, and my stomach clenches. “There’s too much going on with me right now, too much that could go bad too easily, and I’ll never forgive myself if anything happens to you or to our daughter because of me.”
His words shake loose something inside me, and I reach over to put a hand on top of his. “Maybe I was wrong,” I say, surprising myself. “Maybe I’ve been going about everything the wrong way all along.”
I move closer, resting my head on his shoulder. “You’re a wonderful guy who’s been dealt a wrong hand. We both made mistakes at the end of high school, but I can’t hold you responsible for your fucked-up family. Just knowing that I can trust you to bring Lex home to me, it—it makes all the difference in the world.”
I’m getting choked up and will myself not to start crying. I watch Ax’s features and see a flash of pain. I want to wipe that pain away, want to express the overwhelming gratitude for what he did today.
Maybe together we can get past all the bullshit. Maybe that’s the lesson I’ve been missing all along.
“Sabrina, you don’t understand—”
“But I do,” I say, putting my finger against his mouth. “I do understand. And now I want to make you understand.”
I climb onto his lap, pulling his arms around my waist. “You brought her back to me. And you deserve to be rewarded.”
I lower my lips to kiss him, and he groans against my mouth. Then he pulls away. “Sabrina, wait. I need to tell you something.”
“Later,” I say, running my tongue along his bottom lip.
His eyes slide closed, and he lets his breath out slowly. “Sabrina, I—”
“Fuck me, Ax,” I whisper against his mouth. I feel so desperate, so needy. After the scare today, I need to feel this strong man’s body next to mine.
“God, Sabrina. I want to. But—”
“Then do it,” I say, grinding against him. “Fuck me and make me feel good. Please, Ax.”
He lets out a groan and buries his face in my neck, kissing and licking with a desperation that matches my own.
I pull at his shirt until he lifts his arms. When his shirt is gone, I run my hands down his masculine chest, and the hard planes of muscle give me shivers. My fingers find his belt buckle, and I start to fumble with it.
Ax pushes my fingers away and undoes his belt, then grabs the back of my head to pull me in close for a kiss. That kiss is everything, and when I finally break away for air, my pussy is soaking wet. His body is magnificent, like something built out of pure fantasy. He was well put together in high school, but that was nothing compared to how he was when he got back from the armed forces. And now, his body is leaner than before, harder, more dangerous. I don’t think I could ever find a male that made me more aroused than this one can.
Ax just does it for me. From his golden eyes to his dark hair that’s just long enough to run your fingers through, he has me hooked.
And his cock. It’s large, at least according to what I’ve seen on the internet. He’s well-endowed, rigid, and perfectly curved to hit those needy spots inside me. Any woman would be lucky to worship at the altar of
Alexander Craven.
“Ax, I need you inside me,” I whisper, clutching at his shoulders and grinding against him.
“God, I love when you say that.” He peels the dress from my body and makes quick work of my bra. Unzipping his pants, he raises his hips to push them down. I can feel his throbbing cock beneath me, seeking entry.
With a shaking hand, I pull my panties to the side, and I guide him into me. When he’s buried deep, we both let out simultaneous moans.
“Nothing feels as good as this,” he growls against my neck. “You’re so perfect, Sabrina. Like something out of a dream.”
I start to move, working my hips back and forth, feeling him slide inside of me, back and forth, in such an exquisite rhythm that I know I won’t be able to hold off my orgasm for long.
When Ax starts to piston inside of me with more powerful thrusts, I let out a keening cry. “Oh, please don’t stop! Please don’t stop!”
“That’s right,” he says, nipping at my shoulder. “That’s my beautiful girl. Give me all of your pleasure.”
“Ax!” I shout, and he grabs my ass, squeezing it tight and pressing me against his body. “Oh God, I’m so close.”
“Come for me, baby,” he says, his voice rumbling against my breast as he leans me back to capture a nipple. The new angle causes his cock to hit the spot inside me that makes me lose my mind. “Come for me. Now.”
My orgasm rushes over me like a tidal wave, washing away all thought and feeling except sublime ecstasy. My body shakes, my inner walls squeezing around his massive member. I’m on the verge of passing out with pleasure.
He slows down his thrusts, taking his time on my breasts. I can feel him throbbing inside me, his erection unsatisfied. I’m weak, my hips twitching as the aftershocks rumble through me. “My precious Sabrina,” he says softly. “That was perfect.”
I smile softly, and so does he. Then he kisses me, tenderly, but with an underlying need that makes me start to respond once again. Ax needs me. I have to give him what he needs.
Ax lifts me off of him, setting me on my feet. He stands, slowly pushes my panties to the floor, then positions me so that my upper body rests on the arm of the small sofa. I’m on my knees, my ass in the air, my back arched.
“Goddamn, that’s sexy,” he says from behind, giving my ass a slap. I let out a cry of surprise, but the tingles that run through me persist long after the small sting has faded. Damn, Ax sure knows how to turn me on.
He positions himself behind me, his fingers probing into my feminine core. “Look at this pretty little pussy,” he says, and I can feel his breath against me there. “Look how wet it is for me.” He spreads me open and presses his face into me, licking deep inside me.
I moan, feeling desired, as he begins to lap up my juices. When his tongue teases my clit, I start shaking immediately. I know I can’t take much more sensual abuse. I’m too keyed up, too sensitive.
“Please, Ax,” I beg. “Please fill me up again.”
He chuckles softly and moves to his knees, bringing his cock to just outside my pussy. He begins tracing my slit with the tip of his dick, teasing me in a way he knows makes me insane.
“You want it, baby? You need it?”
“Yes, I fucking need it,” I growl into the arm of the couch. “Please fuck me!”
“Baby, you never have to beg me.” He rams his cock inside me, so deep that I scream in satisfaction. This angle lets him penetrate me deeper than before, and I love the feel of him buried inside me to the hilt.
His hands clutch at my hips hard enough that he might leave bruises, but it doesn’t hurt. I want him to need me as badly as I need him. “Fuck me, Ax,” I groan. “Don’t ever stop fucking me.”
“Ah, God!” he yells. “You’re so fucking perfect, baby. You make me behave like a crazy man. I’ve never wanted a woman like I want you.”
His words go straight to my head, straight to my heart. I’ve been in love with Alexander Craven for nearly half my life. To think that he might feel the same way takes the lovemaking to a whole other level.
“I love you,” I whisper into the upholstery. I know I can’t say the words out loud, not yet, but I can feel them. Just like I can feel his skin against mine. It’s a feeling I want never to forget, a feeling that I want to repeat over and over again.
“Sabrina,” he says, panting. “I can’t hold back much longer. I want you with me.”
“I’m there,” I say. I’ve been teetering on the edge since just after my first climax. “I’m always there with you.”
My words have an effect on him. His pace increases, his cock driving inside me like a machine. “Nothing feels as good as you. Nothing.”
I can feel my orgasm bearing down on me, and I push my hips back to meet his. “I’m going to come,” I say, my tone frantic.
“Come for me, Sabrina,” he says, and I do, without hesitation.
“Yes!” he shouts, triumphantly. “I can feel you squeezing so tight around me. I can’t hold back!”
Ax lets out a roar as he spills into me. It’s so hot, so sensual, that it prolongs my own release until I feel like I’ll never stop climaxing. I collapse, my heart beating hard enough to burst out of my chest. Ax lifts me up and settles me on his chest, lying down on the couch and clutching me to him.
My eyes closed, I struggle to breathe. Ax strokes my hair, pressing a kiss to my hairline. “You’re amazing, Sabrina. There are no words.”
There are some words, I think, in a haze. I’m on the edge of consciousness. Words like “I love you.”
“I love you,” I repeat, not knowing that I said those words out loud. Then I fall into the black hole of sleep.
39
Ax
“I love you.”
I blink into the night air. Could I have heard those words? Or am I in some kind of dream?
Sabrina is breathing evenly on my chest, eyes closed. I suspect she’s fallen asleep, which is somewhat of a relief. She loves me. Sabrina Jacobs loves me. Even after everything I’ve done.
Sabrina loves me.
If she were awake, I’d repeat her words to her. I know this feeling inside me is like nothing I’ve felt for anyone else in my entire life. What I felt for her in high school was something like this, but it’s been amplified a thousand times. The intensity of what I feel for Sabrina defies expression.
But there’s a tinge of anxiety pricking at the edges of my elation. Sabrina wants to thank me for bringing Lex back to her. She thinks I’m some kind of hero. Her daughter is missing, I rush out and find her. Everything is right as rain.
Except it’s not.
Sabrina wouldn’t give me the chance to tell her about Luke. She doesn’t know that the fucking mercenary piece of shit had her in his SUV. If I didn’t come along when I did, Lex could be on her way to God knows where, another pawn in my brother’s game.
As soon as she hears that, whatever fragile love she feels for me now will be stripped away. I want to prolong this moment for eternity, lock us into this embrace for as long as possible because when she wakes up, I’ll have to tell her everything.
I stroke her hair and think about what I could have done differently. I could have given up my teenage rebellion and my insistence on joining the military. I could have followed her to college, just as she wanted, and worked my ass off to make ends meet without my dad’s support. Then I would have been here when Lex was born.
I could have stayed with Sabrina five years ago and not gotten into that fight with my father. Maybe my brother wouldn’t have taken his next step if he’d figured I was distracted by a woman. Probably not, but who knows?
And I could have trusted Sabrina more this time around. I could have taken her side when Samantha Sitwell fed me a line of bullshit. I could have stayed when Sabrina first introduced me to my daughter, instead of fleeing the scene like a fucking coward.
So many bad choices, evident when you line them up like this. What did I ever do to deserve the lovely woman on my chest? It seems
like I’ve done all I can to drive her away. And yet, here she is.
I hope she never leaves.
It isn’t long enough when she wakes up shortly after. “I must have passed out,” she says with a tittering laugh.
“I don’t mind. It felt nice.”
Sabrina’s smile makes my heart light up, but the knowledge of what comes next kills the electricity inside me, turning everything dark. With another kiss to her forehead, I say, “Get up, sweetheart. We need to talk.”
Her smile fades, and she scoots off me. I rise, handing her the clothing I’d taken delight in peeling off her earlier.
The mood is somber as if we both know the soft time between us is over. Everything is about to get very hard.
As I button up my shirt, I start to fill her in on the afternoon. “After you called, I rushed out on Delilah, heading into town. But not far from my place, I saw the SUV that ran me off the road. And Lex was sitting in the passenger seat.”
Sabrina’s jaw drops, her mouth open in surprise. When she starts to sputter, I hold up a hand. “I pulled over and grabbed her out of there immediately. Then I threatened the guy driving.”
Sabrina falls back onto the couch and puts her head in her hands. “Oh, my God.”
“He said I need to keep a close eye on my loved ones. That means Brent isn’t limiting his attacks to me. The people I care about are now fair game too.”
She looks up at me, eyes wide, face pale. I’m afraid she’s going to be sick. She hugs herself, shaking back and forth. “Ax, they almost kidnapped my baby.”
“They didn’t,” I say, dropping to my knee in front of her. “I was there. And I won’t let them do anything to hurt you or Lex. But I couldn’t keep this from you.” As much as I might want to.
“This isn’t happening. I can’t—”
“Shh,” I say, reaching for her and pulling her into my arms. “It’s okay. I’m going to force things to a conclusion. I’m going after Brent, as he’s at the heart of this whole thing. Once I deal with him, all this will go away.”
Billionaire Biker's Secret Baby_A Bad Boy Romantic Suspense Page 27
