Men of Valor, Books 1

by Kiru Taye

  Crossing the space between them, he picked her up around the waist, slinging her over his shoulder.

  She yelped. "What are you doing? Set me down right now."

  Her clenched fists bounced off his back as she pounded him in protest. He ignored her and walked to the long bench. He sat on it, placing her facing downward across his lap. She wriggled and tried to get up. He held her down with one hand. The other caressed her bottom cheeks through her nightdress. They were warm and soft, pointing upward, enticing him to explore their roundness.

  "Are you going to answer my question or should I carry on?"

  "You wouldn't dare." Her voice sounded more breathy than indignant. He raised his hand and brought it down on her bum. A loud smack echoed throughout the hut.

  She yelped, squirming on his lap. "Okay. I'll tell you."

  Lifting her nightdress, he licked the spot on her bum where he'd spanked. Her soft gasp sent lightning through him. His erection swelled, jerking upward against her belly.

  "Let's hear it." His voice sounded gruff to his ears.

  He caressed her bottom and dipped his finger into her core. She was wet and hot. His tigress liked being spanked. He suppressed a grin.

  "I—I went to see Obinna earlier today."

  Knowing how breathless she sounded, Nneka bit back the soft moan bubbling in her throat as Ikem's cool hand caressed her hot bottom. She couldn't believe her body's response to his spanking. She should be infuriated, afraid, and disgusted at him. She should feel degraded. She'd promised she'd never let a man raise his hands to her. Instead, here she was, spread across his lap, actually aroused.

  Aroused!

  The sting of his hand had vibrated through her, melting her body. Her core pulsed with need, her juices threatened to overflow down her thighs.

  What kind of person am I?

  When Ikem had walked into her hut looking menacingly cool, a sliver of fear had traveled down her spine. He hadn't looked too pleased with her. At that moment, she'd known he knew about her visit to Obinna. She'd gotten annoyed and cursed Obinna silently for betraying her confidence—a typical male behavior of not considering the woman's interest.

  "Yes, continue." Ikem dipped his finger into her wet heat again. Her inner walls contracted around it. The moan she'd been suppressing escaped. Her mind melted along with her body.

  He withdrew his finger but his hand continued its luxurious caress of her bottom. "I'm waiting." There was a brisk tinge to his husky tone.

  She felt his hand leave her body and expected another sting soon. A thrill of anticipation coursed through her. What was wrong with her? She was about to be spanked again and she was excited?

  "I went to ask for his help."

  "What kind of help could Obinna provide that I couldn't?" His voice was stern and demanding.

  Annoyed at his autocratic tone, she pushed up and turned her head to look at him. He still held her down. "Look, Obinna is my friend and…" She did not wish to complete her statement. She didn't even know how to classify their relationship.

  "And I'm not?" His eyebrow rose as he mocked her. "Do you allow every man who is not your friend to put you across his lap and touch you the way I am right now?"

  "Of course not. You took me forcibly and put me across your lap. I didn't ask you to." She bristled at his taunting tone.

  "So why aren't you shouting out for someone to save you from me? Perhaps you want Edozie to come and rescue you," he spoke evenly.

  His words were like cold water on her fiery anger. She lost the impetus to argue with him. Questions bombarded her mind.

  Why hadn't she called out for help? Why was she allowing this man such power over her body? Instead of being repulsed, why did she yearn for his touch? Why did she long to hear his commanding voice tell her what to do?

  "I don't know," she whispered softly at last.

  "Perhaps it's because you recognize that I'm more than a friend to you." She lifted her head to protest, but he continued, "Even if you won't admit it."

  She chose to remain silent, not willing to accept his words openly. She didn't want to give him more power over her than he already possessed. He was bound to abuse it at some point, even if not now. He was a man like all others. He would disappoint her eventually.

  "So what was the help you asked of Obinna?"

  She sighed in resignation, her body going limp. Did he have to persist in hearing her say it when he already knew the answer?

  Whack! She yelped again, jolted out of her reverie. "I asked him to marry me," she hissed, her breath caught in her throat, as her backside stung.

  "Do you want to marry Obinna?" His voice was low and tense. She had to strain to catch the tail end of his words.

  "No! Marrying Obinna was never my intention. Being an independent woman is what I want most of all."

  "So you only asked him to marry you because you thought you had no other choice?"

  "Yes." She was relieved that he seemed to understand her motives. She hoped he didn't take it as a personal affront.

  "Do you realize the awkward position you placed Obinna in by going to him when you knew we have been lifelong friends? Have you forgotten that he looks on you as his younger sibling?"

  Really? What have I done? Guilt and embarrassment rose in her mind, playing havoc with her sensibilities. Obinna was the one constant friend she'd had all her life. To have his opinion of her diminish because of her actions appalled her. Her quest for freedom had blinded her. She'd already annoyed Ikem; now it seemed she'd alienated Obinna as well.

  The gods forgive me!

  She let her head fall dejectedly, her sense of shame overtaking her. "I'm sorry."

  "You should be. If Obinna wasn't a man I knew well and respected, I'd have taken his head off with a machete when he told me what you'd said."

  Gasping, her head jerked upward as she considered his words.

  Does he really feel that strongly about me? Still, why should I take all the blame?

  "Well, it was your fault. If you hadn't left me hanging and disappeared for two nights, I wouldn't have felt pushed to seek out Obinna." She turned to glare at Ikem. He looked nonplussed. A smile curled her lips. She turned away. That should teach him.

  "It would seem you still haven't learned anything." She felt his hand caress her buttocks. Whack. Her body jerked in response. She hadn't been expecting it. "These lovely buttocks of yours that were designed to drive a man crazy are mine." Whack. "Do you agree?"

  "Yes!" she whispered hoarsely.

  "No other man is allowed to touch them." Whack. "Do you agree?"

  "Yes!" She squirmed. Her overheated core melted as her body vibrated.

  "The same goes for the rest of you. From the hair on your head to the nails on your toes. They all belong to me." Whack. "Agreed?"

  "Yes!" She held her breath in anticipation of each sting and rush of cool air on her bottom.

  "I, and I alone, am responsible for providing for your needs both in bed and out of it." Whack. "Agreed?"

  Her face heated at the implication that Obinna would have bedded her if he'd wed her. "Yes. I'm really sorry. I'll apologize to Obinna."

  "You are forgiven. But you’d best leave him alone for the near future. He has his hands full with his own matters."

  He lifted her up, carried her into the bedchamber and placed her on the bed face down. Her buttocks felt so sore she thought she'd probably have difficulty sitting down for a while. Gently he caressed her sore area with his tongue. The sensation of his cool tongue soothed her stung flesh. A soft moan escaped her lips.

  "Stay there." His voice was husky as he stepped away. She turned to see him walk into the main room and come back with his satchel. From it he withdrew a small earthenware jar and removed the cover. He knelt beside her. Dipping his fingers into it, he rubbed the oil on her sensitized skin. When she inhaled the fragrance, she realized it was coconut oil.

  Slowly he worked the oil into her skin. Starting from her legs, he massaged her body work
ing upward. It was almost unbelievable that a man as large as Ikem could be so gentle, his touch so relaxing she felt like she was floating in a cloud. Especially since only a few moments ago, she'd been on the receiving end of his stinging palm. However, her whole body bore witness to the firm strokes of his hands gently kneading her muscles.

  The effect of his fingers on her body transformed from soothing to arousing as his hands moved up her back. She closed her eyes, relishing the sensation that slowly built up within her body. His strokes were masterful. He knew how to handle her body. Even as she tried to regulate her breathing, it increased along with her heart rate. Her fingers clutched the bedclothes as his hands moved back down her body.

  He replaced his fingers with his lips. They feathered kisses all over her back, setting her body off with tingles. Sensations flashed through her core weeping with overflowing juices. As if he sensed it, his fingers breached her lower lips, dipping in and out as his other hand played with her nub.

  "You are so warm, so slippery."

  He withdrew his fingers. She whimpered in protest at the loss of his touch. Looking up, she saw him kneeling by the bed. He parted her legs and delved in with his mouth. His tongue stroked her in a long sweep before tunneling into her wet folds. Mindless sensations overtook her body. She writhed, unable to control her body's response as he took her higher and higher toward her peak. As she coasted the wave, he pulled back.

  "Please," she whimpered. She didn't mind begging for release. If she didn't crest soon, she didn't know what she'd do. His effect on her was strong, stimulating and addictive. She'd missed it the last two nights. She needed it now.

  "Please what?" He stood up and flipped her over so she lay on her back.

  "Please…let me have my release." She licked her lips as she watched him, her hunger for him clouding her eyes.

  "Not until I'm deep inside you."

  He took off his clothes a piece at a time. She stared at his body in awe. She already knew he was a powerfully built man. His well-toned upper torso was always in view, wide shoulders and chest that tapered at the waist. His chest, back, and right arm had markings that identified him as a Clan Warrior. His muscles rippled with each movement like the undulating flow of a river. He had strong leg muscles and she quivered when she remembered the firmness of his thighs against her body. There was a long scar running down the side of one thigh. She wondered how he'd received it.

  With all his clothing on the floor, he stood bare before her, his manhood jutting magnificently upward. Excitement coursed through her. She couldn't believe that this man wanted to claim her. Young maidens and married women alike fought for his attention. She was a widow, seen by most as a cast-off. Yet he was here, looming over her. Tremors traveled through her as he knelt between her legs.

  Leaning over her, his lips swooped down on hers, reigniting the shameless desire within her. His tongue invaded her mouth. She tasted her tangy sweetness on his lips. His earthy spiciness assaulted her nostrils with each breath she struggled to take. Her body keened with inflamed feelings. He roamed her body with his hands, tweaking and rubbing her breasts, which grew heavier, and nipples that got tighter. They moved lower to caress her stomach and waist. Overcome by rippling sensations, she couldn't tell where she ended and where Ikem began. When he lifted his head, she was gasping for breath.

  "I want you inside me. Please."

  She looked into his eyes, pleading. The emotion she saw in their golden depths knocked out her breath. In that moment, his soul was laid bare to her. This wasn't just a nonchalant affair to him. He was serious about claiming her permanently. A faint warning went off in her mind. She should be concerned. She didn't want permanent. She should stop this now. But her mind was already a desire-filled fog. The warning died before she could take action. All she wanted now was fulfillment, in Ikem's arms.

  "As you wish."

  The huskiness in his voice wrapped around her already heated body. The blunt head of his manhood nudged at her moist entrance. With one push he filled her till he could go no farther. Her pulsating core clenched around him. She couldn't hold herself back any longer. Overwhelmed by feverish heat, she shouted his name and shattered into a thousand pieces. He muffled it by kissing her again.

  When he lifted his head, he had a boyish grin on his face. "Shout like that again and we'll certainly have an audience." His teasing words reminded her that they were making love in her hut, surrounded by other huts with her in-laws in them.

  Still, instead of being frightened and stopping their act, she got more excited by its illicit nature and encouraged him. As he withdrew slowly and drove into her, she couldn't help the soft moans that escaped her lips. He continued the excruciatingly slow pace for a while, building her up until she started panting for release again.

  Moving her legs around his waist, she held on to his shoulders and tried to increase the pace. But he gripped her hips and continued his slow motion. She couldn't even begin to compare Ikem with her late husband. Ikem's lovemaking was set apart. When he said that women were guaranteed to receive pleasure from him, he did not tell a lie. Every touch, every movement of his body against hers drove her to the peak of her pleasure.

  Soon he was setting a fast tempo, pounding into her. The sound of their joining bodies resounding in the small room. Having learned the new rhythm, she held on to him and kept up with his pace, enjoying every smack of his body against hers. She felt the heat of her release rising on her body. His lips melded with hers, his tongue matching his body's actions. He moved his hand between them and touched her hooded flesh and she exploded, screaming his name into his mouth.

  After several more strokes, he let out a groan and spilled his seed inside her. Collapsing on top, he rolled to the side, pulling her with him. He held her close. She placed her head on his chest. She could hear the disjointed pounding of his heart.

  "I'll commence the negotiations for our betrothal tomorrow." His voice was low and deep, and she detected some emotion in there too.

  When she lifted her head to look at him, his eyes still shone with intensity, but there was tenderness there too.

  "There are plenty of beautiful untouched young maidens who would be more amenable to you. Why do you want me? I'm a widow and not that beautiful."

  He shrugged. "A hundred young maidens will never equal you. You are the most beautiful woman I know, and I want no other." His words warmed her heart. His fingers caressed her face. "Moreover, your rebelliousness is part of your appeal." He winked at her.

  Feigning anger, she frowned and swatted his chest. "Are you saying that I'm headstrong?"

  "That, among other more appealing qualities." His laughter reverberated through her. She suppressed a smile.

  "Oh well, if you're going to laugh at me, maybe I should find myself another husband who will be more malleable."

  "You will never be happy with him." He pushed her back on the bed and pinned her with his body. "Moreover, I may just kill the man first."

  He kissed her until she was out of breath. "No other man will ever make you feel this way."

  She hadn't realized he was fully aroused until he pushed into her again. He stayed inside her rocking while he sucked on her breasts, alternating from one to the other, nipping and lapping. His manhood stroked her womb walls, stretching and filling her. She tried to touch him, but he held her hands together with one hand above her head. With the other hand he teased her already swollen flesh, making her crazy with sensation. She writhed beneath him, her body arching toward him with each stroke. She wanted more and he gave her more. The tighter her body coiled, the more her senses heightened. Her body blazed with feverish heat. She wasn't sure she could take much more without coming apart. He increased the pace. His features got more intense. She could see his eyes getting darker. His jaw clenched as he controlled his own release. He drove into her a few more times, and then pinched her nub. She came apart, her body jerking upward with the force of the release. He rocked into her once more, then groaned o
ut her name before falling back on the bed.

  "You are mine," he whispered huskily against her face before she drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter Six

  Nneka woke up and stretched languorously. A kind of delicious heaviness draped her body, making her want to stay in bed longer. The gray light of early dawn filtered in through the small, shuttered window. She turned to her side and caught an earthy masculine scent—Ikem's scent. Sighing, she inhaled deeply, wishing he was still there. It hit her then. It wasn't enough for her to fall asleep in his arms. She wanted to wake with him next to her too. What was she going to do about him?

  He'd visited her hut every night for the past week—arriving when everyone else was settled in their huts and departing in the early hours of the morning. In the first few days she'd been worried that someone would discover their liaison, but as the days had gone on she'd come to look forward to his visits and their time together. She'd gradually grown a fondness for him as they discovered much about each other.

  Contrary to her initial fear about the kind of man he was, she'd come to discover the man beneath the tough, fearsome exterior was tender, passionate, and veracious. He cared deeply about and took care of all her needs both in bed and out of it.

  Last night, she'd tentatively raised the topic of her wish to weave and sell raffia baskets. When Ofonna was alive, he hadn't been happy and had complained that it appeared he couldn't provide for her. Part of the reason she wanted to be self-reliant was so she wouldn't have to seek permission from a man to use her talent.

  Ikem appeared so stereotypically masculine, she'd worried that he wanted a lifemate whose main purpose was to attend to his needs only. So his response of, "If it's truly your heart's desire, then do it. But make sure it doesn't interfere with fulfilling your responsibilities as my wife," had caught her off guard. She'd leaped at him with utter elation. His laughter had rumbled through her as she'd proceeded to kiss him and show her gratitude in the most pleasurable way she could think of at the time.

  Letting out a sigh, she recalled their incredibly fiery lovemaking last night. Her attempt to return some of the delights he'd shown her had been well-received, going by his unrestrained explosive reaction.