by Lea Bronsen
He chuckled and hissed, his erection making contact with the hottest part of her. Instead of changing the angle of his hips and thrusting inside, though, he kept up a deliciously slow pace, running the length of his erection over her entrance and clit. Her eyes rolled back in her head as sparks of pleasure erupted over her skin, from deep in her belly.
She moaned his name.
He paused, grabbed her hips, and pressed her legs together. His cock stayed nestled against her clit, unmoving, but right there. “What do you need, Johanna?” he asked again, his breathing heavy and erratic.
“You,” she answered without missing a beat.
He tapped the outside of her thighs. “Leave these here.”
Before she could ask why, he cupped her breasts and resumed moving his hips back and forth, but this time the pace was even slower. She groaned in frustration.
“What do you need, Johanna?” he asked again.
She tried to move her hips, wanting to speed things up, but his erection slipped out from between her lips and she made a frustrated sound. “Brady! Please!”
He pinched her nipples sharply, the pain causing her to cry out.
He grabbed her hips again, then held her in place as he slowly slid back in place. “I asked you a question you still haven’t answered,” he said, his words gritted.
“What?” He ran an agonizing slow ride across her clit. She gasped. “I did.”
“Listen,” he said and slapped her once across her backside. The crack sounded through the air and heat spread from the center and out, adding to the haze of pleasure. “One more time, Johanna. What do you need?”
She could feel the ridge of his cock change. Where the head of him passed over. How wide he’d be inside of her. How he’d be a patient lover, but one who’d make sure she knew who was inside her. He’d rule her body, of that she had no doubt.
And it was a little scary.
But a whole lot exhilarating.
Exactly what she needed.
“I want you, Brady. Inside me. Your cock, please, put it inside me. Fuck me here. Fuck me now. Take me until you can’t take me anymore.”
His fingers tightened on her hips and he stopped moving. “Impossible,” he said before the angle of his hips changed and he slammed inside her.
She cried out at the sudden invasion. Big was an understatement when it came to him. He was huge, and instead of giving her any time to get used to him, he angled her hips back and proceeded to do what he’d promised. He fucked her against the glass.
It was glorious. Wild and raw. His grunts said more about his control than anything else. A little voice inside her shouted in victory, knowing she could affect him so.
She flew over the peak within seconds, screaming her release, but he didn’t give up. No. he wouldn’t. She’d issued him a challenge he took her up on.
He wrapped his hands around her waist and cuddled her closer to him, his mouth right next to her ear. “Johanna,” he said, and something changed. He pulled out, turned her around, and released her hands from the hook. They fell into position over his shoulders, and he lifted her up and pressed her back to the glass. He slammed inside of her again at the same time.
Holding her gaze, he thrust deep and steady, his eyes communicating something his mouth wouldn’t, or couldn’t, she didn’t know. She tried to read the message, but it seemed even Brady was having a hard time understanding exactly what he wanted to say. Confusion almost, was awash over his handsome face.
He thrust one hand in her hair, tilting her head back. She tightened her legs around his waist. A deep burn built low in her stomach again.
“Johanna,” he said again, his voice rougher, deeper.
“Brady.”
He spun and laid her on a table. Her shoulders fell off the side, her breasts bouncing with each deep thrust he made. He licked and sucked at her nipples, a low growl sounding with every movement of his hips.
“Joey,” he said, his voice holding an edge. “Jesus, Joey.”
He sat himself to the hilt and ground his pelvic bone against hers, and it was the right fit. What her body had been waiting for. She flew over the edge on a gasp.
“Thank, fuck,” he said and slammed in and out of her. Her orgasm went on and on, her screams ebbing over the sound of Brady’s grunts.
She collapsed back on the table in a heap, out of breath and feeling as if she could just sleep for hours.
Brady dropped his head to her chest and she absentmindedly ran her fingers through the back of his hair.
The lights changed then, growing brighter as the lamp above them dimmed until she realized where they were. She tensed and he lifted his head. “Don’t,” he warned, but she couldn’t help it. She tilted back to stare through the clear glass now, and out across the dazed crowd.
* * * *
“They think I’m beautiful,” she said, but the words sounded sad, painful.
“Of course, gorgeous.”
“They think I’m beautiful,” she repeated, her words coming from a distance, as if she was talking to herself. “Everyone but him.”
Brady thinned his lips, the him in her statement clear. The but screaming in his face. The entire sentence slapped him hard. Almost as hard as his orgasm had caught him off guard. He’d never been one to get to the peak without pain, but with the growing tension in Johanna’s body, there was no time to examine that now.
He made quick work of the condom, disposing it in a hidden bio container, then tucked himself away. It was a futile hope that he could calm the sting of her words before returning to her, but all of that took less than a minute to achieve. Returning, he wrapped her in a black blanket and gathered her in his arms.
A heavy need to attend to her ran through his veins like a drug. To take care of her, remove her lush body from the gaze of others. Their staring rubbed him wrong, made his skin crawl with an insane jealousy he didn’t understand. He’d have to set aside a conversation and explanation of her statement for later. Maybe that’d give him enough time to calm to speak and think rationally.
Her weight was slight, and it wasn’t until he stepped into a hidden hallway at the back of the room that a warm liquid hit his shoulder, and she sniffed.
The sound about broke his heart and made his stomach twist in pain. He had a feeling he knew the reason for her tears, her earlier twisted statement making it abundantly clear. And he wanted to talk about it, would even chance doing it now, but he couldn’t. They didn't have enough privacy, nor did he want to have this conversation here.
Instead, he stepped into a small room and set her on her feet. “Your dress is on the table, and I asked Frankie to bring you a trench. It’s late. You’ve had a long night, so don’t argue and just put it on. I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.”
He never denied being an asshole, but his words even sounded cruel and curt. She could do much better than him, but despite his previous reluctance at committing to anyone, he didn’t think he’d be able to deal with Johanna seeing anyone else. Nor did he think he’d fulfilled his hunger for her yet.
He grabbed the rest of his clothes and his phone, then made a call to have the car ready outside.
With that taken care of, he stepped up to the closed door and stopped, dropped his head against the dark wood. His hand clenched and released, the emotions of the night sending him on a rollercoaster of feelings. Up and down, over and over again, he couldn’t come to a conclusion of what he felt, how he’d expect to deal with this evening.
Then the door opened and all that fell away. The uncertainties. The confusion. The anger at her earlier words. Everything slipped away until the only thing left was a driving need to determine when he could get inside her again.
She lifted red rimmed eyes, drew in a breath, pulled back her shoulders, and lifted her chin. His strong girl. It made him so fucking proud. His heart swelled with a protectiveness that overwrote the earlier need.
She gripped the ties of her jacket, drawing his gaze down her body to long
, smooth, perfect legs. Perfect like her body. Like her face. Like her.
He froze, his hand lifted to grab hers.
He loved her. One hundred percent, knock ‘em on their ass, super-size it loved her. Shit. How could this have happened? When did it happen?
Johanna took his hand. “What’s wrong?”
Tossed back into the moment, he shook his head, and interwove their fingers, then led her outside and to the car. They didn’t speak for the ride to her apartment, nor did she say anything when he stepped out with her. They entered her home in silence, he breaking off to grab a beer, she sliding behind her bedroom door without an explanation.
He was finishing the last of his brew when she walked in. She’d changed from the trench and dressed into a pair of capri black sweats, a white camisole, and a turquoise sweater that hung past her waist.
“I’m exhausted.” She didn’t meet his eyes, and this distance she attempted started to piss him off. “I’m going to lock up, take a shower, and go to bed.”
He nodded, finished his beer, and set it down on the counter with a loud clink. The fridge rotated ice and fed water through the line. A clock chimed somewhere down the hall. But he didn’t say anything, at a loss for words, and still a bit shocked and pissed that she’d somehow managed to trap him into her web. He didn’t know if he was more pissed at falling in love with her, or that he hadn’t figured it out prior to making love to her. Because that’s what it was. Making love. The first time he’d ever done so, too.
What an odd feeling, this combination of wanting to wrap his hands around her neck and kiss her at the same time.
“I think you should go,” she said. “We’ll catch up tomorrow.”
As if he’d let her brush him off so easily. Not after what she’d done. “No.”
She blinked, and dammit, that was cute, too. “No?”
He nodded once. “We need to talk.”
She pulled her sweater over her chest and crossed her arms. “It’s late. I need to shower. To sleep. It’s been a long night.”
“I’m staying the night, Joey, so you might as well go take a shower. I’ll lock up. Then, we can talk either in the shower, or in the bed. I’ll be nice since it seems you’re having a hard time following orders tonight, and offer those choices. But you’re not getting any others.”
She swung her arms out the sides and leaned forward. Dark tendrils slid over her shoulders and wrapped around the curve of her breasts. She was magnificent. “What do you want to talk about? I think we’ve said all that needs to be said, or done, tonight, haven’t we?”
He tried breathing through the pulse in his ears. One…two…
“Or did you not get enough with round one, Brady? Looking for round two? Well—”
She didn’t get to finish. He was across the room in a flash, trapping her against the kitchen island, and tunneling his hands in her hair. “Why the fuck did you push this between us tonight, Joe?”
That cute little wrinkle formed between her eyes again. He wanted to lick it, but couldn’t allow himself to get distracted. Short, choppy breaths pushed her breasts against his chest in little erotic beats. He fought to keep his mind on the right task.
“I…I didn’t…”
He gave her a slight shake, using his hands in her hair. “Don’t you lie to me. After everything we’ve been through. With how much our friendship means to each other, don’t you do either of us the injustice by fucking lying. Not about this.”
Tears pooled in her wide doe eyes, but he ignored his clenched gut and waited for an answer. She couldn’t have played him like a fool. Couldn’t be blind to what was going on…right?
“Johanna,” he said.
“I—” Her breath hitched and a lone tear spilled over her lid and down the curve of her cheek. He swiped it away with his thumb, and she smiled. He’d seen her smile thousands of times, but this time was different. It was as if her eyes sparkled, but still held a hint of uncontrolled sadness. She tilted her head so the same cheek he wiped her tear from cradled in his hand. “I love you, Brady McBride.” The words were utterly heartbreaking.
He sucked in a sharp breath.
“I couldn’t imagine you going on that stage with anyone else because I love you. I’ve loved you my whole life.” Another tear fell down her cheek. For some reason, he couldn’t catch it before it dripped off her jaw.
“Christ,” he whispered.
She grabbed his wrists, held him in place…to her. “I didn’t plan on where we were going tonight, but once we were there, I just…I couldn’t let you get up there with someone else. It would have butchered me.”
“Jesus,” he said, trying to catch up.
She let out a half laugh, half sob, and more tears tracked down her cheeks. “I love you.” Another small hiccupping sob. “I can’t help it.”
She loved him. She’d said it more than once. She’d said it to him. There was no refuting it. There was also no denying that he felt the same way. He couldn’t help but feel a little anger at how much time they both had wasted by not realizing this sooner, but then again, who knew where they would be if they hadn’t made the decisions they did. But to think he could have lost her any number of times she’d been out doing her vigilante stuff. To think…
“Say something,” she said, her voice trembling.
His attention snapped back up. He opened his mouth…and kissed her. She released his wrists to circle her arms around his shoulders and returned his kiss with as much passion. Long, deep licks back and forth. Tongues tangling. Hands groping. Bodies pushing closer and closer. He pressed her back to the wall and lifted his head, panting as if he’d run a marathon.
“What…what does that mean?” she asked.
He didn’t hesitate. “I love you, too. That’s what it means.”
She laughed. Where he thought she was beautiful before, he knew he’d been mistaken. That was nothing on her when she laughed. And beautiful was too tame a word. He doubted he’d ever be able to do her justice with words alone.
He kissed her again, wanting to fall into her for days, and even knowing he’d never get enough. Lifting her up, she wrapped her long legs around his hips. He turned toward her bedroom.
She broke her mouth away. “Again?” she asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
He lifted a brow and cocked the side of his mouth up, pushing through her door. “Complaining?”
She shook her head.
“Although,” he said and set one knee on the bed, then lowered her to her back, “we need to talk about your night time activities from here on out.”
She set her hands on his shoulders and matched his eyebrow. “Way I see it, is there’s nothing to talk about.”
He winced. “Beautiful, maybe we can talk about you dialing it back a bit.”
Her face turned soft at his endearment, and he made a point to remind himself to make sure she heard it every day for the rest of her life. Despite the soft face, she shook her head, pulling him down to her again. “No way.”
Then, she kissed him.
And just like earlier, for him, everything else melted away.
The End.
REDEEMER
by
Kastil Eavenshade
Dedication
To my parents for always believing in me.
To the ladies of the Dark & Dirty antho for letting me come along for the ride.
Last, but not least, for my readers that make me love what I do.
Kastil
Chapter One
Gianni's fingers traced the contours of the plaster walls in his small townhouse. The bass of music pounded a heavy vibrato through every square inch. Lights dimmed, the swirled colored lamps splashed a rainbow revealing technicolored skin as his party revelers danced. While his family preferred the northern end of the city, the south side was his solace. His family's roots started in the 19th century brownstone. When his father's power grew within the seedy underbelly, he abandoned the small dwelling for something more ex
travagant. Yet the man refused to give up one inch of wealth. Gianni was more than happy to take up residence. Narrow, secret passageways allowed him to enter and leave with discretion. The size of the rooms gave an intimate vibe to epic parties with his closest acquaintances.
Cups littered every corner table. The sweet perfume of alcohol laced with drugs tickled his nostrils. Sweat-drenched and lost in the frenzy of gyrating bodies, he guided through the throng of guests. One person caught his eye—Tina Cooletski. Her red satin dress opened in a perfect 'V' toward her navel. She dragged him closer to lay a kiss on his cheek. Tina had shared his bed, along with a kilo of cocaine, on numerous occasions. The memories faded except for the tangled sheets. His hands on her cheeks, he kissed her. Heat wafted from her, pulsating and inviting. His tongue mingled with hers. If he lifted her dress and fucked her against the wall, no one would bat a lash. One of the perks of being a Bencivenni. No one dared to question your actions unless they had a death wish.
She jiggled a vial in front of his face. He paused. The white allure inside tempted. The powdered heaven cascaded onto her cleavage. Gianni needed no invitation. Head first, he dove in between her breasts and inhaled. Euphoria gripped him as he lapped the remains. She encouraged him, her fingers clutching his dark curls tight.
A gentle touch tickled his side and he turned. His friend Shannon smirked. His stark, strawberry blond hair seemed a beacon to the dark-hair beauty he'd sandwiched against the wall. Deep-seeded hunger sparkled in his emerald eyes and spoke of a decadent night to come.
"How about we take this party upstairs?" Tina's tongue ran along her lips. Gianni traced the seam of her dress and grasped the hem. His fingers danced up her thigh to the delicious heat of her pussy.
