And then, somehow, they were kneeling on the bed together.
Both of them were naked, and he was behind her, lightly grazing his fingertips over her stomach, and the underside of her breasts. They took it very slow and steady, it was a tease, a build-up.
He nibbled one ear, whispering naughty things to her.
Mary listened intently, committing every word to memory.
His touch grew more insistent, sliding up and down the sides of her body. Mary braced her hands on his thighs. Hers were situated in between his, and she could feel the length of his dick seated right between her ass cheeks. Mary rocked against him, hips pushing back against his rigid, heavy cock.
Chase groaned. “Stop, you’ll make me come.”
“That’s the idea.”
“Wait, no, I want to see you, Mary, watch you come for me again.”
And then they were facing each other.
Chase fitted his palms against hers, although his hands were larger. His eyes were bright, the pupils blown wide, and his hair was tousled from her fingers. He was so handsome, and she drank in the sight of him. Chase was lithe and lean with muscular arms and his chest was well-defined. In other words, blindingly handsome and she couldn’t look away.
Mary thought she'd never been so connected to another human being, as though they’d been fused somehow.
“What are you doing?” Chase asked.
“Takin’ a mental picture.” Tears filled her eyes and she blinked them away.
“No, we can’t have that. Touch me.” It was somewhere between a plea and a demand.
Mary ran a hand up and down his abdomen, watching the muscles reacting in response to her touch, bunching and then releasing. And then she grasped his cock.
Chase growled low in his throat.
Using both hands, Mary stroked him, got Chase ready for her, one on the lower edge of the shaft and the other around the tip. His cock was long, the balls shaved. It stood proudly, arching toward her as though it had a will of its own.
As she worked him, he inserted a hand between her thighs, just slightly playing with her clit. It was more of a torment than a caress.
Every once in a while, she leaned in for a kiss, or he would.
And then Chase played with her pussy, dipping a fingertip inside, now and then, but not giving her what she needed. She moaned as he flattened his palm against her sex and rotated.
Mary rocked against his hand, and he thrust in time with her movements. As she pumped his dick, Chase rubbed her more insistently, pushed his fingers deep into her pussy.
“Damn, you’re so wet for me. You want me as much as I need you.” His eyes fell shut.
Then Mary leaned over and eased his dick into her mouth, swallowing Chase whole. With a wounded moan, Chase thrust deeper into her mouth, and she took all of him until Chase finally withdrew.
“No, I can’t take any more or I’ll explode.”
After she released him, he spread her open on the bedspread once more, tasting her, licking her sex, mouthing her pussy. Chase wrapped his arms around her hips, and she held on to his elbows, sinking her fingers into his skin.
Her head fell back, and a gasp escaped her, a cry for more, and a need for him that might never be slaked.
“Chase!” Mary cried out for him as her body shuddered, again and again.
“Come on, I know you aren’t done yet.” As her orgasm subsided, Chase kissed her gently, and she shattered in his embrace again. “Oh, yes, that’s it.” When the last satisfying, toe-curling shock spread through her body, she sank her fingers into his hair, holding him close.
And after she subsided, Chase entered her.
He spread her legs open and crouched between her thighs, pushing his cock into her. He set a deliberate pace, taking his time, evidently enjoying the steady plunge of his cock deep inside of her.
Then Chase pulled her onto his lap, so her legs were wrapped around his hips, and his were spread out in front of him.
Mary rode him hard, sinking down on him again and again. Now and then, he leaned her back, so he could taste her nipples, kiss her mouth. And then he pressed his forehead to hers, locked eyes with her until all she could see was him, and Chase became her entire world. It was just the two of them, moving as one, relishing each other, and they shattered together.
Afterward, he wrapped them in a blanket, and they lay together on the bed, exhausted and sated.
And maybe, just for a moment, happy.
***
Mary woke up hours later to find Chase packing.
Evidently, the afterglow was long gone. He had three open suitcases on the floor, and two of them were already half-full.
“You’re awake.” Chase kissed her, but it was brief, perfunctory. Clearly, he was distracted.
“You’re leaving?” She blinked, trying to wake up.
“Eventually, but there’s somethin’ I gotta take care of first.” Chase gestured to his surroundings. “All of this might be a moot point.”
Mary didn’t have to ask. She knew he was going to confront his father and packing might’ve been a waste of time. Dead men didn’t need a change of clothes.
Don’t think about it.
Mary knew she couldn’t talk him out of this, so she wasn’t going to try. Besides, she had a reckoning of her own to worry about. Mary wasn’t looking forward to a showdown with her grandfather, but she didn’t see another acceptable alternative.
“Listen to me, I want you to get out of here before this goes down.” Chase rummaged around his sock drawer until he found something and then handed her an envelope. “There’s ten thousand dollars in there. Take it.”
“I can’t take your money.”
“Believe me, I doubt I’ll need it anymore.”
She winced. “I have a better idea. Why don’t you come with me?”
“I can’t.” Chase shook his head. “They’ll never stop lookin’ for me.”
“And you think Tucker Cobb’s gonna give up on me? I might be runnin’ forever.”
“Why don’t you call Thorne?” He placed his hands on his hips.
She shook her head. “I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“I need answers, and I won’t get them if I run away. Besides, I don’t know the man.”
“He could keep you out of harm’s way.”
“And how do I know if I can trust Thorne? He’s clearly got a vendetta against the Lone Star Mafia. What if he intends to use me as a pawn? Or a weapon?”
After a moment, he nodded. “You have a point.”
“Thank you.”
“And you sure Tucker won’t hurt you?”
Mary had been thinking about that a lot, actually. Loyalty mattered to her grandfather and breaking his confidence had ultimately gotten her parents killed. At least that’s what she’d gathered from the situation, anyway.
“I’ll face granddad head-on, confront him, and then get some answers.”
She had no choice but to play this out. Mary couldn’t go back home and act like a dutiful granddaughter anymore because her conscience wouldn’t allow it. She’d give Tucker a chance to admit what he’d done and turn himself in.
Who knows? Maybe her grandfather regretted his actions? After all, he’d gone out of his way to be a kind, supportive father figure, and guilt might’ve played a role in it.
“Okay, this is my last ditch effort, please don’t—”
“Nope.” Mary held up a hand. “My mind is made up.”
Chase frowned, opened his mouth to speak, and then shut it. She knew, without being told, he thought her plan was hopelessly naïve, and maybe it was, but it’s the only one she had.
“I understand.” Chase sat beside her. “Don’t get me wrong, I hate this idea, and I wish you’d do anythin’ else, but I’d be a hypocrite if I stopped you.”
“I’m glad we get each other.”
He nudged her shoulder with his own. “Anyone ever tell you that you’re stubborn?”
“You’re not the first. Al
though, our California idea sounds pretty damn good right now.”
He smiled. “Yeah, it does. “I wouldn’t mind livin’ in the Golden State. There’s a Marine base in Barstow, which isn’t far away from Stanford.”
It was so easy to picture.
They’d rent a tiny apartment together, and on the weekends, they could explore the state. Maybe they’d visit Hollywood? They could drive up to San Francisco and get some crusty sourdough bread.
“And what about when I graduated and did my residency? I could be placed anywhere in the United States.”
“We’d be covered because Uncle Sam’s got bases all over the place.”
“We’d need documents though. I mean, excellent fakes and cash. We’d have to leave these identities far behind.”
Mary would much rather plan their fictional life together than deal with the reality of her own.
He nodded solemnly. “Yes, Mary and Chase would have to die, for all intents and purposes.”
Mary shrugged. “No complaints on my end. I hate the name Cobb.”
“I don’t like mine much either.”
“Maybe we could come up with new last names?”
“Like what?”
“Somethin’ cool. Everybody I went to school with had these really sophisticated old world last names, and I felt like a bumpkin in comparison.”
“Give me an example.”
“Like the Wentworths of the Connecticut Wentworths.”
He chuckled. “Then we’d need a snooty one, just to be safe.”
Her breath caught. Chase had mentioned one last name, not two. Had it been an oversight? Or a Freudian slip?
“So we’d have the same last name.”
Chase brushed a kiss on her lips. “Why not? This is a fantasy, remember?”
“Yeah, a fantasy.” Mary was drowning in his eyes. She wanted to grab her meager belongings, shove them into one of his suitcases and then take off with him. It didn’t matter where they went, as long as they were together.
She cleared her throat. “What about the Archers?”
“I like it. And our first names?”
“What about Abigail?”
Chase made a face. “You don’t look like an Abigail.”
“Fine, you pick one for me.”
He studied her face. “How about Catherine?”
Hmm. “Why’d you pick it?”
“After Catherine the Great. She’s royalty, like you, princess, and became a great queen. I see you comin’ into your own in the future.”
Mary swallowed a lump in her throat. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“But wasn’t she scandalous, too?”
“And so are we.” He raised a brow. “What about my name? Choose one for me.”
“How about Peter?”
His eyes lit up. “Catherine’s husband was named Peter.”
“I know.”
Mary kissed him, and she couldn’t stop the tears leaking from her eyes.
“We should both head out.”
“Not yet.” Mary kissed him once more. “I’ll leave in the morning. Right now, I want you, and don’t you dare try to tell me no. You just released me, so I’m not your prisoner.”
She wrapped her arms around him and held on tight. The sheet fell away from her body, and he tasted her breasts, taking his time, savoring each of them.
“Whatever you say, my princess.” Chase tangled a hand in her hair, holding her still for a deep, dark kiss.
The universe owed her one perfect night, after all she’d suffered. This was about living in the moment, being with Chase.
She tried not to worry about tomorrow or never seeing him again. For now, she wanted him inside her, needed to join with him again, share the same space, if only for a few more minutes.
Mary would make it last forever. Tomorrow morning, she’d walk out the door and away from Chase.
And nothing would ever be the same again.
Chapter Sixteen
A loud noise woke Mary and Chase wasn’t lying next to her.
From the other room, came muffled grunts and the sounds of a scuffle. There was a shout and then a gunshot, followed by a series of thuds and thumps. It sounded like something heavy tumbling down the stairs.
Like a body? Chase!
Mary leaped out of bed. She wanted to race in there to find out what happened, but she wasn’t an idiot. Mary didn’t know what she was getting herself into. Instead, she stood and crept toward the door, listening intently.
Oh, God, please be okay. Please.
What if Harry came after him? Or worse? She imagined the Sin City Mafia had as many enemies as her grandfather.
“Mary! Where are you?” She’d recognize Jasper Tan’s voice anywhere.
“I’m here.”
She walked into the hallway and saw him standing on the other end. He was tall and broad-shouldered with pale skin, dark eyes, and black hair. Jasper held out his arms to her, and a few short weeks ago, she would’ve run into them, grateful to see him again.
Not anymore.
“Mary, it’s me, Jasper.” His face was wreathed in shadows so she couldn’t see his expression, but Mary could hear the pain in his voice.
“Yeah, I recognized you.” She shuffled closer.
“Mary, what’s going on? I don’t understand.” His arms fell to his sides. “In something wrong? Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine.” Physically, at least.
He muttered something in Chinese under his breath, and she bet it was a choice curse word.
“These dicks told you everythin’, huh?”
“Yeah, I know you’re a mobster. Where’s Chase?”
“He’s in the other room. Don’t worry, he’ll never hurt you again.”
Why did he say it like that? Had they harmed him?
“Chase would never lay a finger on me. What did you do to him?” Her stomach twisted into a tight knot.
“You actually like this asshole?”
No, I love him.
But she didn’t dare say the words out loud. Instead, she tromped down the hall, past Jasper, and headed downstairs. Chase lay at the base of them, and blood pooled around him.
“Chase!” She took the steps two at a time until she reached the bottom.
“He’s not dead. Yet.” Ten stood above him with a pistol pointed at his head. “When I shot him, he fell down the stairs.”
“Chase? Are you okay?” She nudged him but got no response in return. He had a shoulder wound, but Mary didn’t see any other injuries. Mary placed her fingertips at the base of his throat and felt for his heartbeat. It was faster than normal but strong.
Oh, thank God. They hadn’t killed him.
“Did. He. Rape. You?” Ten spit the words out. His face was pale, and he had a death grip on the gun. Even under normal circumstances, he was frightening. Right now, Ten was terrifying, as though he’d love to execute Chase, and he was barely holding on to his bloodlust.
She shielded him with her own body. “No, and Chase could’ve killed you, but he didn’t.”
“He shouldn’t have taken you.” His lips peeled back from his teeth.
“I know, but I’m okay. There’s no need to take this a step further.”
Still seething, Ten backed off and put the gun away. He was shaking, shuddering, as though the temperature was subzero. Ten muttered to himself, under his breath, about things she didn’t comprehend and didn’t have the time to question.
Chase had a gunshot wound, two black eyes and a goose egg on his forehead but otherwise, he appeared unharmed. She pulled the button-down shirt off of Chase, leaving him bare-chested and used the fabric as a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.
“Almost sounds like you’re defendin’ him.” Jasper came down the stairs behind her.
“Just statin’ the facts.” Mary refused to even look at him.
In a way, they’d all deceived her, but Jasper’s betrayal hurt the most, other than her grandfather’s dup
licity, of course. She’d spent hours with Jasper and asked him, again and again, to tell her what was going on, but he’d kept the truth from her for years.
“Are you injured?” Ten blinked, finally focusing on her. The gun was still trained on Chase though.
“No, I’m absolutely fine.” Mary stood and faced him.
Ten scrutinized her. If she wasn’t mistaken, there were tears in his eyes. She’d never seen him display any sort of emotion before, other than anger, and it was a bit disturbing to see him unrestrained from his usual psycho killer demeanor.
“I owe you an apology. This never should have happened.”
Jasper scowled. “No, it shouldn’t have, and it wouldn’t have on my watch.”
She glared at him.
“I’m just saying.” Jasper raised his hands.
“I’m sorry, Mary.” And then Ten pulled her into a rib-cracking hug, lifting her a couple of inches off the ground. “I never meant for this to happen to you. Can you forgive me?”
“It’s okay, it wasn’t your fault.” Mary was so startled, she flailed in his embrace. After he pulled away and sat her down again, Mary gaped at him. Before she could say anything else, he walked away.
“Well, that was weird.” Jasper smirked and tried to catch her eye, but she turned away from him.
“Oh, come on, mèimei. I know you’re happy to see me. We’ve been huntin’ for a trace of you for months. And once we got a lead, I rushed halfway across the country like a knight in shining armor to save you.” Mèimei was his special nickname for her, and it meant “little sister” in Chinese.
It would be so easy to give in to his humor and pretend nothing had happened, but she refused. Mary didn’t have the luxury of ignorance anymore.
“Who asked you to?”
“Mary, I—”
“I don’t wanna hear it. How’d you get past the security system?”
“Vixen.” Jasper had a lopsided smile. “No system can keep her out for long.”
For a moment, she wanted to order them out of this place. Mary hadn’t been ready for this reunion and didn’t know what to say to them. Yet, she knew they wouldn’t leave her alone. One way or the other, they were taking her back home to her grandfather.
Luckily, it suited her strategy just fine.
“Come on, Mary, let’s go to the car.” Jasper reached for her hand, but Mary batted it away.
Bad Blood (Lone Star Mobster Book 5) Page 16
