HERO (The Complete Series)

by Bella Love-Wins

  “Why do you feel so strongly about it?” I asked. I felt the same way about him too. There was a bond between us neither of us could explain, an invisible force that continued to draw us closer. I needed to know how he felt, and why he was doing all of it for me.

  “I don’t have the answers, Kate,” he said softly, sliding both his massive hands over mine. “All I know is it’s not about me anymore. I have to take care of this. I have to take care of you. You can’t go back to work right now. It’s not safe for you or anyone there. Whoever it is doing all of this, they’re not going to stop. There’s something they want, and you have something to do with it. Let’s give the police a few days to follow the evidence, and while they’re at it, the two of us will get a little down time together.”

  “Alright Matt,” I answered, filled with emotion. “I’ll go with you. And yes, I care about you too.”

  “Good,” he said, then leaned forward and kissed my forehead. He whispered, “So how about you come over her and show me, Kate Samuel.”

  In an instant, a wave of heat rose up inside me, and my stomach clenched. I raised my head and turned to meet his waiting lips for a kiss that was so fierce and passionate, I was already wet. I needed him, and there was nothing holding me back from showing him how desperately. He pulled me on his lap sideways, and reached over to the button that raised the black glass divider between Ross and us.

  “I wanted you badly the last time we were here,” he said softly between kisses. “And I still want you now, Kate.” He cradled my back and pulled me into his smoldering hot body. His kiss was like an animal, wild and raw, with a life of its own. As he parted my lips and explored my tongue, I reached for his other hand and guided it under my top, giving him full reign over my needy breasts.

  His touch sent white hot energy sparking through me and I knew there was no turning back. I was overcome with an undeniable, lustful, physical desire for him to be inside me. It didn’t matter where we were anymore. I turned my body and positioned myself so I was seated facing him on his lap. I pulled off my winter coat, lifted my top and shifted my bra over to the side, yearning for his tongue to taste my already tingling breasts.

  “God Kate, you’re so beautiful,” Matt moaned. He pulled my arms around his neck, and closed in to kiss and gently bite my nipples. I could feel his arousal growing between my legs. My hips instinctively rocked on it, moving in to close the distance between my clit and his hardness. I was ready for him. It was not just desire; I had to have him. My body longed to be connected to his, to feel his skin against mine; to have him fill an empty place that every past disappointment, each heartbreak had left bare.

  “I need you, Matt,” I purred in that rhythmic sound that revealed how much he had come to mean to me. I might have easily said that other word; the one that women are discouraged from ever being the first to say to a man. That word created vulnerability, and handed power over to the other person. It was a dangerous word, yet I felt it on my lips, wanting to burst out and escape so that the air could transport it neatly to his ear and into his heart. I bit my tongue to stop it. It was also a word that could spoil a good arousal, if expressed prematurely.

  I let my primal need regain control of my mind and my mouth. I reached down to kiss his ear. As he sucked and tantalized and ravaged my breasts, I matched his movements, licking and playing on his ear lobes. Matt groaned deeply, and his arousal became stiff as a board, pressing against my clit through all our clothes. I was beginning to discover his passion triggers. I was even more aroused to know how touching him in certain ways could drive him wild.

  Matt’s hands felt its way to the buttons of my jeans. He fumbled to undo them. I shifted to balance precariously on my knees to get them off so I could feel him. He unzipped his fly, and pushed his pants down enough so his wild beast could escape and rescue my need. I lifted myself up and he positioned himself, then grabbed my hips with his powerful hands and pulled me down on his shaft. He entered my channel with a voraciousness that I was craving with urgency. Every part of me was in synchronicity with all of him as I rocked my hips and held on to his shoulders.

  “Fuck, this feels so good, being inside you,” he said passionately in my ear. “I can’t get enough of you, Kate.”

  His pace sped up and I could feel his thrusts reaching deeper inside me. I was closer to the heights of my climax as his cock hit my pleasure spot over and over again. My hands moved down to his ass and pulled him deeper, rocking harder so he could help me reach my point of no return. As I squeezed his ass cheeks, my fingers dug into his skin.

  On his deep thrust, I felt my climax burst out and seize every cell in my tremoring body. I let out a moan that sent Matt wild. He drove his manhood so deep and pulled my hips down so hard, I knew he was coming. As he came, he buried his head into my neck and let out a muffled growl that resonated deep into my chest. I rested my head on his, waiting for some strength to re-enter our bodies. It felt so good being close to him. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the moment.

  After what seemed like a few fleeting minutes, I looked up and the car had already stopped. We were in the circular driveway of a large, sprawling house. The front façade of the house and the shrubs at the center of the driveway circle were decorated in red and green Christmas spot lights. It was beautiful. Ross and Matt’s security team were standing outside the limo, with their backs turned, waiting for us to eventually exit the car.

  “Matt,” I said softly, drawing him back to his senses. “I think we’re here. And your men are outside.”

  “Let’s rest a little,” he said slowly, not looking like he could move, let alone stand. I remembered that he had been at work for his shift at some ungodly hour, and practically worked a second tense shift during the bomb scare emergency response. “They’re professionals. They can wait. Now kiss me, Kate. Kiss me like you mean it.”

  It was music to my ears. I leaned in and let him engulf me in the flames of his loving embrace.

  Chapter 4

  I barely remembered leaving the car and heading inside with Matt after our passionate and steamy limousine interlude. We were both spent, and it was quite late at night. The lights inside were all off, so Matt guided me through the main floor to a set of stairs, up to a bedroom. We collapsed into the bed and fell asleep in all our clothes.

  I woke up to eyelid-piercing sunlight streaming into the bedroom windows. It may have been close to noon, from the angle of the sun’s rays into the room. I looked over at Matt. He was still sound asleep. I decided to take a look around and then raid the fridge for food. Neither of us had eaten dinner the night before.

  As I emerged from the bedroom I was shocked at the size and décor in the house. I took the same stairwell down to the main floor and took it all in. It was immense and so bright. Every window I looked out of was a display of farmland or the ocean. The land seemed to stretch out for miles, with rolling hills that undulated to the horizon. The ocean view was just as spectacular. In spite of the temperatures, and what seemed like an army of security outside, I had to get out and feel the fresh air. The grounds were gorgeous. I walked out through the front entrance to the circle driveway.

  Looking out at the farmland was mesmerizing. I was transported to the home and farm where I grew up. All that was missing was the livestock, a few dry patches of ground, and some heat beating down from the sun. I hated to admit it, but I missed home. Back there, in the outdoors, everything moved to its own natural rhythm and people were plugged in as well.

  The air was cold, but if I tilted my face to the sun, the warmth was comforting. It was easy to appreciate the surroundings. There was a chorus of a few lingering birds that felt they’d take their chances in the northern winter rather than brave the long trip south. I heard the sound of ocean waves nearby, beating against the base of a pier. I relished the intermittent rustling of a soft wind through the trees that lined the sides of the grounds, all the way back to where the neighboring farm adjoined the property. Even the occasional sound of a car pas
sing by in the distance was inspiring.

  Standing there, I felt I had come full circle. How could I have left such serenity of rural Phoenix for the big, terrifying, yet exhilarating city of Manhattan that now wanted me dead? As much as I had loved my big city experience – except for Chad Bridges and the last week or so – I yearned to dig my bare feet into the warm country soil and have that simple life again. I missed the kids I grew up with. I pined for my occasional teenage walks home when I could sneak away from school before our driver would arrive. And most of all, I missed the feeling of family.

  As much as I resented my parents, they were the ones who gave me life and raised me; who taught me to see the beauty of the land and simple living; to cherish nature. I could also probably credit my mom for my choosing a career in radio; she never watched the television. She detested sitting in front of a computer. Instead, she’d keep the radio on the desk in her personal sitting room playing all day long. Yet, why were they also the ones to show me the dark, greedy, and malevolent side of wealth? I could never find balance in the contradiction that was my parents. I wished I had learned more about how they came to be that way. Clearly there was some good in them.

  How could anyone tend to a sick animal into the wee hours of the night, the way my father did with such care, so many times, and not have some humanity in him? And even for my mom; I once saw her sit with one of our maid’s young girls in her lap, and braided her hair with such love. Surely she had some redeeming quality in her. And that massive donation to the fundraiser. I never could have predicted that. Maybe Matt and Diane were right. Maybe I needed to give them a chance. I wasn’t sure I could reach out to them right away, but this walk through Matt’s property brought me one step closer.

  “Ma’am, I’ll need to ask you to get back in the perimeter,” said a voice behind me. I looked back; it was the tan coat SUV driver from the day of the bombing.

  “Oh, did I slip past some invisible fence or something?” I asked casually.

  “The grounds are large, Ma’am, and the team isn’t big enough to cover all of it. Come with me, please.” He shrugged out of his tan coat and reached it over to me. “Please put this on, Ma’am. It’s cold out.”

  “Thank you, sir,” I answered, and wrapped myself in it. Matt had trained his men well. “I was just beginning to feel a little chilled. Okay, I’ll be right behind you.”

  I followed his pace. “What about on the seaside? How far can I go without breaking your perimeter thingy?”

  “We’ve got men covering the thousand foot beach frontage,” he replied. “I wouldn’t suggest you go beyond it, Ma’am. There’s still damaged areas from hurricane Sandy.”

  “Wow, really? I thought they would have made this part of town a priority.”

  “Not quite, Ma’am,” he answered. “With so many vacation homes spread so far apart, it wasn’t as high on the priority list as restoring essential services, like roadways, subways and hospitals, Ma’am.”

  “So are you from this part of town?”

  “Ma’am, we’ve worked with Lieutenant Lewis for several years. We saw a lot of the damage at his house when it happened.” He seemed more uncomfortable sharing, so I changed the subject.

  “How about a run? Can a few of you change into sweat suits and take me out for one? I’ve been housebound for over a week and if I don’t get out for a run in such a beautiful place, I think I’ll need to be put into a padded room.”

  “We can probably arrange something, Ma’am. Leave it with me.”

  “Thanks, Sir,” I answered. “You know, I never thanked you and the other Barnes for saving me from the reporter hounds yesterday. Thanks.”

  “No need to thank us, Ma’am. That’s our job.”

  “Are your names all really Barnes?” by then I was being facetious. I couldn’t help it.

  “You’re back inside the perimeter now, Ma’am,” he said, not addressing my question. He probably knew I was kidding. “I’ll make arrangements for your run, and let you or Lieutenant Lewis know the details as soon as they’re ready.”

  “Thanks Mr. Barnes.”

  It was a long walk up the driveway, but it felt great to be outside. I turned to walk toward the house and again, was taken aback by the landscape and home design. It must have been one of the few quiet sections of the Hamptons. The house stood surrounded by acres upon acres of farmland. It was imposing, but complemented the outdoors. There were meticulously crafted wooden carvings along the front. The long driveway we entered from was lined with what must have been cherry blossom trees, and led directly up to the front entry. Every detail seemed custom-designed and created with such luxury and love for the surrounding country theme.

  As I got to the bottom of the stairs, Matt was standing in the doorway, smiling that broad smile that sent my blood pounding.

  “Good morning, Kate.”

  “Hi Matt,” I answered, wondering if he knew what I was already thinking about this early in the day.

  “What were you doing out in this cold with not even a jacket on?”

  “I had to get out and see this place for myself.” I replied, as I removed the tan coat and handed it back to Mr. Barnes before stepping inside. “You were right. I love it here.”

  “See I told you,” he replied, then planted a kiss on my forehead.

  “There’s just one thing missing,” I added.

  “Yeah, what’s that?”

  “Food!” I answered eagerly. “I’m famished.”

  “That problem has been solved, young lady,” he said proudly. “Yolanda’s been here for a while. Breakfast is ready. Or brunch. It feels like noon. C’mon let’s eat and I’ll give you a tour afterward.”

  Matt led me by the hand through the massive home and down a corridor that took us to the back of the house. The windows in the back faced the ocean. From what I had seen so far, there wasn’t a single room that didn’t have a breathtaking view. Yolanda had laid out the several dishes and had left the kitchen before we made it there. Seeing all that food in front of me made me ravenous. I found the nearest place setting on the large center island, and downed the glass of water beside me in almost one gulp. I must have been dehydrated too.

  “Where’s Yolanda?” I asked, with my mouth already full of scrambled eggs. “Scrambled eggs are my favorite, you know? Boy was I ever spoiled, living on a farm.” I wolfed down a few strips of bacon and started for the toast before Matt even thought of sitting down.

  “I love me a woman with an appetite,” he joked.

  “Why, aren’t you hungry?”

  “I was stealing food from Yolanda as she prepared it,” he answered. “That normally annoys her, but she didn’t mind today. She’s so relieved I’m ok from yesterday’s fiasco, I may be able to get away with anything for a month. She’s in the smaller guest house for now. The men have the main guest house for easier staging and patrol.”

  “I can relate for sure,” I said. “Come sit and eat with me. I’m starting to feel self-conscious in my ravenous state.”

  “Sure.” He sat beside me and we finished almost everything Yolanda left out.

  Afterward, I leaned back in the chair. “I can’t believe I ate so much. Actually, nix that. I can’t believe I survived without eating for almost 24 hours.”

  “No doubt,” he replied. “We’ve got to make sure you keep your strength up.”

  “Speaking of which, I desperately need to get out this evening or in the morning for a run. I already got in trouble for breaking your men’s perimeter. Do you like running? Maybe you can come with me.”

  “Like running, you ask?” he asked comically. “You’re looking at the two-time sophomore long distance champion of Hudson College.”

  “What college is that? I never heard of it.”

  “It was private school. Nothing but the best for little Matthew.”

  “Oh, cool!” I was giddy with joy. I always wanted a running companion. “So when can we go out? I’ll need a way to burn up that mountain of food I just i
nhaled.”

  “I can think of other ways,” he teased. “Come on; let me take you for a tour of the house. You’ll feel more at home if you know where to find everything.”

  “Alright. Where do we start?”

  Chapter 5

  “Well, Miss Samuel, my name is Matthew and I’ll be your tour guide today,” Matt began, in a convoluted faux British accent. I giggled. He was hilarious. “Welcome to the Beaux Hill Farm Estates, 68 acres in one of the last remaining untouched rural lands of the Hamptons. We are surrounded by hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of acres of stuffy billionaire estates and unused farmland reserves. This means there will never be any more neighbors than you see now.”

  He held out his elbow for me to hold on to. “Care for a leisurely stroll, Mademoiselle?”

  I couldn’t stop laughing. This was a whole other side of Matt. I was entertained.

  “The house is a ridiculously spacious 22,000-square-foot converted farmhouse, located in the center of South Hampton, and boasts an impressive 255-foot front façade. You may have seen it as you entered at the front doors, though I highly doubt it, as you were far too mesmerized by my charming stature and unparalleled handsomeness.”

  Oh God, he definitely noticed I was drooling over him.

  “The front façade is inspired by many of the never-ending estates in France and other farms across Europe. Because the Lewis family is stuffy that way, m’dear. All the exterior architecture features meticulously handcrafted work of highly paid artisans. Wrapped around the south and west corners are luxuriously wide limestone terraces. They overlook the vastness of the grounds and neighboring farms, as well as offer an indescribably rich view of ocean. See it there? Yes. That, Madame.”

  “Now let’s move along to the interior. Every piece has been custom-made and hand-milled by the best of the best. Nothing but the best for us stuffy billionaire scrooges. All of the marble textures in all 19 bathrooms were selected from a lovely little town outside of Venice, Italy. And the tubs, tiles and counters were all hand-carved from entire stone blocks by master Venetian artisans we imported. I think the artisans came in with the marble blocks. They may have been a package deal, I can’t recall.”