Wrath's Storm: A Masters' Admiralty Novel

by Mari Carr

  “—it is, because—”

  “Time out.” Walt stood, holding a hand out toward each of them. “Take a knee.”

  Jakob looked at the ceiling, then crossed his arms. “Be less American.”

  “Be less literal and German. I’m saying you both need to go to your corners. Wait, damn, that’s another sports analogy. Must be channeling my dad today because I don’t even like sports that much.” Walt shook his head. “You two aren’t allowed to talk anymore because you’re not listening to each other. You need a mediator.”

  What they needed was therapy. She should have been going to therapy this whole time but had thought she could handle it on her own.

  “Annalise, how do you feel about Jakob?” Walt asked.

  “I…I love him. I know I shouldn’t, but I do. Even though it is not fair to him.”

  “Fair?” Jakob started.

  “No. Not your turn.” Walt pointed at him. “Okay, to sum up, you love each other, but neither of you has said anything because…” Walt looked first to her.

  “Because it isn’t fair to him. If I confessed my feelings, it might make him feel even more responsible for me, and I didn’t want to put that kind of pressure on him.”

  Jakob was shaking his head, but Walt smiled at her. “Good. Okay, Jakob. Your turn. Why didn’t you tell her you loved her?”

  “Because she’s being terrorized by a violent stalker. How could I take advantage of her when she’s so vulnerable?”

  “Both your feelings are valid, but, Jakob, do you think of Annalise as a burden?”

  “No. Never.”

  “And, Annalise, do you think Jakob is taking advantage of you by spending time with you when you’re stressed out?”

  “No. Of course not,” she murmured.

  “Okay, great. Now kiss.” Walt waved his hands at them.

  Annalise turned to look at Walt, utterly stunned. “I’m sorry…what?”

  “You love one another. Kiss.”

  Right.

  Kiss Jakob.

  Which she’d only been fantasizing about for months or maybe the better part of a year.

  Annalise stood and faced Jakob. She could do this. Just walk over there and kiss him.

  She didn’t move. Couldn’t. Jakob was right there, and a wild mix of embarrassment and uncertainty rooted her in place. She’d spent so long not kissing him that this felt awkward.

  Jakob crossed his arms. Uncrossed them. Put his hands in his pockets. All the body language that said a person was unsure or uncomfortable.

  They waited. The three of them. Standing there. Self-conscious and silent.

  Walt sighed noisily, but he was smiling. “You two are lucky I’m here.” He reached out and took Annalise’s wrist, then pulled her over to where Jakob was standing.

  Walt didn’t let go of her as he reached out with his free hand, cupped the back of Jakob’s head, and kissed him.

  A hot, sharp stab of desire lanced through her. She loved the way Jakob’s eyes widened for just a moment, the shock and surprise so unlike his normal expressionless mask. Then he closed his eyes and wrapped one arm around Walt’s waist, holding him close.

  Walt pulled back, a bit breathless. “Damn, man, you can kiss.” Then Walt glanced at Annalise. “Come here.”

  The husky command fired her libido even more.

  Walt pulled her in, without really backing away from Jakob. Her shoulder brushed against Jakob’s chest, but she kept her focus on Walt.

  For the second time, he bent to kiss her. There was no chaste start to this kiss. His tongue slid between her lips, demanded entry to her mouth, and then swept inside. Walt was holding her wrist, but another arm, Jakob’s, came around her waist. Jakob tugged her forward several tiny steps, sliding out of the way as he did.

  For a moment, she panicked as Jakob pressed her against Walt’s chest, allowing the other man to deepen the kiss even more. Was Jakob giving her to Walt? Saying he loved her but didn’t want to kiss her?

  Then Jakob slid behind her, his chest at her back, and his undeniably erect cock against the top of her ass. Hands curled around her hips, sliding up her sides until he cupped her ribs, fingertips on the sides of her breasts.

  Annalise broke the kiss with Walt, twisting to try to look at Jakob.

  “No,” Jacob said, and she felt the word rumble through his chest and into her back. “Kiss him.”

  “I thought you didn’t want to watch?” She sounded breathy, and the men reacted to that, both of them inhaling heavily.

  “I’m not just going to watch,” Jakob said. “Walt is going to keep you occupied while I play with your pretty tits. How do you want me to play with your nipples? Do you want me to stroke the tips? Or do you like a little pain? Shall I pinch them? Ah, I felt that, felt you jerk. You want me to twist and pinch and pluck and—”

  Annalise was so aroused, she was light-headed, and though Jakob was only brushing the sides of her breasts with his fingers, her nipples were tight.

  She looked up at Walt, who was staring past her at Jakob, with a baffled expression. That triggered her to think about exactly what Jakob had said. And exactly how much he’d said.

  “So you’ll talk as long as it’s dirty talk?” Walt asked.

  Annalise suppressed a giggle. This wasn’t a giggling moment. This was a hurry-up-and-touch-me moment.

  “Hold her for me,” Jakob told Walt.

  Walt reached down and grabbed her free wrist with his other hand. Experimentally, she tugged, but Walt held her firmly.

  Jakob’s hands slid under the hem of her shirt, his fingers slightly cooler than her skin. She shivered, but it wasn’t really from the cold. Her shirt came up along with his hands and when he touched the band of her bra, he flipped the front hem of her shirt up, fully exposing her bra and breasts. The bra was utilitarian black with smooth cups, the only ornamentation a little bow between her breasts.

  Walt stepped back, still holding her wrists, and took his time looking at what Jakob had revealed. It felt lewd in the best possible way to be standing between them, Jakob having exposed her breasts for Walt.

  And he was about to really expose her. His hands were working the clasp of her bra, and a moment later, the band loosened. Without pausing, Jakob yanked the bra up, bunching it, along with her shirt, under her chin.

  Then his bare hands touched her breasts, cupping them, lifting slightly. Despite what he’d said, his touch was gentle, almost reverent. She inhaled deeply, pressing her breasts into his palms, and he rewarded her by stroking her nipples with his thumbs.

  Walt lifted her hands, guiding them to her neck. “Lace your fingers together. Good. Now don’t move.”

  He released her wrists but waited a moment, eyeing her in a deliciously threatening way. If she moved after he’d ordered her not to, she’d be in trouble.

  Maybe she wanted trouble. At least the kind of trouble that Walt was promising without saying a word.

  She considered and dismissed it. Because more than anything, she wanted to know what he’d—what they’d—do next.

  Jakob was tall enough that he probably had no trouble seeing over her arm, even when it was raised, bent, and out to the side. She felt his chin brush her hair as he leaned in, and then his thumbs made another lazy pass over her nipples.

  “Are you ready for me to stop being gentle with you?”

  Annalise blew out a long, slow breath. “I’ve been ready for you to stop being gentle for a very, very long time.”

  She felt Jakob’s lips touch her hair, a soft caress—the first time he’d kissed her, though she wasn’t going to count this one. No, she was waiting until he spun her around and kissed her the way Walt had.

  Any other thoughts she might have had were driven from her mind when Jakob made good on his threat. No…his promise. He pinched her nipples with just enough pressure to make pleasure spark to life.

  It was almost a relief because she’d been so ready for him, her breasts heavy, needy in his hands.

  Th
en he rolled her nipples between his fingers and she let out a hissing breath, rising onto her toes for a moment.

  In response, Jakob tugged her nipples. More pleasure, and then the first hints of pain as his fingers tightened, pinching hard on the sensitive buds.

  “Damn, that’s a pretty sight,” Walt said.

  Annalise looked at him through half-lowered lashes. His gaze was fixed on her breasts, on her nipples, as Jakob continued to roll and tug them.

  Then Walt lowered to his knees in front of her. “All right, dirty talk us through this, Jakob. What do you think I should do to her from down here?”

  Jakob pinched her nipples hard enough for her to cry out, his lips rubbing her hair in tender counterpoint to the sweet abuse of her breasts.

  “Unfasten her pants,” Jakob said, his voice rumbling. “Don’t take them off, but reach in and shove her panties between her pussy lips. Then rub her clit, just a little bit. I want to see her trying to fuck your hand. I want to see her twitching and writhing while we play with her. By the time we put her on the bed, she’s going to be so hot, so wet, that she’s going to beg us to fuck her.”

  Annalise was ready to come just from listening to Jakob’s description of what he wanted Walt to do to her, with her.

  Actually having it happen…

  Walt unbuttoned her slacks, then leaned in to lick the skin he’d just exposed, right above the band of her panties. These slacks looked good, cupped her ass enough to show a panty line, which was why she wore a black G-string with them. That was only going to make what Walt was about to do to her more interesting.

  Jakob distracted her when he released her aching nipples and cupped her breasts, kneading them with his strong fingers. Then there were more fingers, between her legs, her pants pulled tight around her ass and hips, thanks to the insertion of Walt’s big hand.

  “Spread your legs for me, sweetheart,” Walt murmured.

  “Good,” Jakob said when she did. “Liebling, you’re going to keep those legs spread for me, for us, aren’t you?”

  Oh God. Was she his sweetheart? She wanted to be that. So badly.

  “Yes. Yes, Jakob. Why didn’t you touch me before th…” Her words trailed off into a moan as Walt ran his finger up and down the seam of her pussy lips, pressing the fabric in a little bit deeper with each pass. She wiggled her hips and managed to angle them so that his finger stroked her clit with his next pass.

  Annalise nearly came from just that. She was so primed and ready that it wasn’t going to take much more. Jakob’s fingers pinched her nipples again, and the next time Walt’s finger passed over her clit, she gritted her teeth. She needed her hands on them, so she reached down, sliding one hand over Walt’s tightly clipped curls, which were long enough for her to grab, and with the other, she reached back to grab Jakob. It was an awkward angle, but she managed to lay her hand along his head, thumb on his ear. She ran her finger over the whorls there and felt him shudder against her.

  “Naked,” she demanded. “I want to be naked. I want you naked.”

  “Naked so we can fuck you,” Jakob murmured, his words so low, she wasn’t sure Walt could hear them. “Liebling, how do you want to be fucked? Do you want me to fuck your pussy while you have Walt’s cock in your mouth? Or maybe you’ll be on your hands and knees on the floor, Walt behind you, fucking you, while I slide my cock into your mouth. I want you to look at me when you suck my dick. I want to see your ass—”

  A sound pierced the air, and for a moment Annalise thought she’d come—the combination of the slight touches on her clit, muted by her now sopping-wet G-string, the pinching of her nipples, and Jakob’s words must have pushed her to orgasm. An orgasm so intense that her body registered it as a blaring alarm.

  Then the light above the door flashed blinding white, and the alarm blared again.

  That wasn’t orgasm-induced.

  “Fire alarm.” Walt slid his hand from her open pants.

  Annalise grabbed his wrist, tugging it back toward her. “Ignore it. Don’t stop.”

  Walt chuckled and let her hold his wrist, but Jakob released her breasts.

  Annalise groaned.

  “I’ll check.” Jakob’s voice was rougher than usual, and he walked a little funny, but the brevity was more like normal Jakob.

  She liked dirty talking Jakob much better.

  Walt rose to his feet as Jakob opened the door and stuck his head out.

  Annalise felt slightly stupid standing there with her clothing all bunched up, but she didn’t try to adjust it. She hoped they could continue.

  With the door open, she could hear someone shouting and the sounds of hurried steps. Jakob closed the door and looked back at them. “We’re leaving.”

  Annalise made an aggravated noise while Walt helpfully tugged her bra and shirt down.

  She fastened her pants, irritation fueled by frustration, making her movements hard and fast. “This place had better be burning to the ground right now. Otherwise…”

  “This is fun,” Walt said. “I like turned-on Annalise and horny Jakob. They’re demanding and talk dirty.”

  Jakob smiled, though it was brief, and then hustled them out into the hall. Just as he closed the door behind them, he leaned down, his lips against her ear so she could hear him over the fire alarm. “This isn’t over yet, Liebling.”

  Annalise turned to look at him, so close, they were almost kissing.

  And she froze. Experiencing that same feeling that had kept her from kissing him earlier.

  Walt reached out and grabbed both their hands. “Can we go?” He had to yell to be heard. “I promise I’ll make you kiss later.”

  That comment—which happened to coincide with the auditory lull between the alarm blares—earned a startled look from a passing woman who, apparently, understood English.

  Jakob smiled, and this time, it lingered. Then he took the lead, guiding both her and Walt down the hall to the stairs. Leaving the room and the lovely bed she’d hoped to occupy with them, behind.

  Chapter Ten

  Jakob tensed as they continued down the stairs, looking back at Walt and, with a jerk of his head, indicating…something.

  Walt had been a doctor in the military but hadn’t seen even a moment of combat, so he widened his eyes at the other man in his best “I don’t know what you’re trying to tell me” expression.

  Jakob grunted and pushed Annalise so she was walking directly behind him. Jakob pointed, and the light went on as Walt figured it out, falling into step behind her so they were protecting her front and back.

  It seemed a little ridiculous, especially when Walt almost stepped on Annalise’s heels, but the second he tried to put a little space between them, Jakob glared back at him.

  Maybe Jakob was channeling his sexual frustration into hyper-bodyguard mode.

  Walt found it slightly amusing that Jakob could talk up a storm when it came to feelings and handing out sexual commands, but he was suddenly mute again when he shifted back into protector mode. Perhaps it would be more than slightly amusing if Walt wasn’t still so turned on and pissed off by the interruption.

  Blue balls fucking sucked.

  Their rooms were on one of the upper floors, and that meant that with each step they took, more and more people filed in from the lower floors, until the stairwell was packed with people, some of whom looked a little panicked, others of whom looked either bewildered or—like him—annoyed.

  At the bottom of the stairs, a hotel staff member was directing everyone out through the lobby and onto the sidewalk. Jakob grabbed Annalise and tried to veer off down a side hall that led toward the back of the building. They were intercepted by another member of the hotel staff who didn’t speak English, and neither Annalise’s restaurant-focused nor Jakob’s curse-word fluency in Polish were particularly helpful.

  Walt and Annalise took pity on the staff member and turned around. Jakob’s shoulders tensed as he took point again, his eyes sweeping left and right with the cold, commanding loo
k of someone who could and would take out anyone he found to be a threat.

  “Stop a second,” Annalise murmured. She backed up, moving closer to one of the lobby walls.

  Jakob scanned her as she stood with her back to the wall. “What’s wrong?”

  She had her hands behind her, elbows out.

  Walt clapped Jakob on the shoulder. “She’s fastening her bra, man. Take a breath.”

  “I don’t like this.”

  “Fire alarms, or coitus interruptus?” Walt asked innocently.

  Jakob stared at him.

  Annalise sighed. “Jakob, we’re in Krakow, my stalker isn’t anywhere near here.”

  “We’re hunting a killer,” Jakob rumbled.

  “No, I’m building a profile so other people can hunt him.”

  “A stalker and a serial killer? You know, if this was a romantic suspense, it would be two books,” Walt joked. “And I’m pretty sure it’s not ‘people’ so much as Eric himself who is going to hunt this guy down.”

  “Stand in front of me, please,” Annalise said.

  Walt shifted, facing her, while Jakob kept his back to them, scanning the now thinning crowd of hotel guests, whom they could see gathered on the sidewalk through the glass front doors.

  Annalise reached into her shirt through the neck hole and adjusted her breasts, and Walt’s blood headed south again.

  Dammit, he’d just gotten his dick under control.

  “Want some help with that?” he asked.

  His tone must have alerted Jakob, who leaned a little toward Walt. “What’s she doing now?” he asked without shifting his attention from the surrounding area.

  “Playing with her tits,” Walt murmured.

  “Adjusting my bra,” Annalise corrected, but then one brow twitched, and she reached out a hand, cupping Walt’s crotch. “Do you need any help adjusting things?”

  He grabbed her wrist, jerking her hand away, but it was too late. His cock, which hadn’t entirely given up hope, hardened again.

  “Excuse me. Please make your way outside.” The accented customer service voice took Walt by surprise, but the pleased little smile Annalise shot him made it clear she’d seen the person coming and had timed it like this.