by C. A Rose
“You keep doing that,” she pants, and I place a kiss on her shoulder. I know she means that every time she brings up going home I fuck her. I can’t help it, and don’t know if I want to. “I have school and work.”
“You could be pregnant right now with my child.” I’ve only been fucking her for two days, but she could be pregnant. Fuck, I hope she’s pregnant.
“What?” That one word comes out in a whisper as her body tightens.
“I’ve had you so many different times, never with protection. You could be carrying my child. Like I said, you’re not going anywhere.”
“Pregnant.” Her hand moves to her stomach, and mine covers it there.
“Pregnant.”
“This is… that’s just crazy.”
“It’s not,” I deny, then I hear Rage start to bark downstairs before there’s pounding on the front door.
“Who’s that?” she asks, as I pull out of her slowly, vowing to kill whoever is at the door, interrupting my time with her.
“I don’t fucking know.” I roll over, getting out of bed. “But I’m going to fucking find out. Stay here.”
“Sure,” she agrees, covering her breasts with the sheet as I pull on a pair of jeans and head out of the bedroom, down to the living room, putting on a shirt as I go. Rage is standing in a ready stance, growling at the front door when I get there, and seeing who’s standing outside, my annoyance spikes.
“Why are you here?” I cross my arms over my chest, not in the mood for this bullshit. Not today.
“I’m pregnant,” she says, and I stare at her. If she’s pregnant, it’s not by me, so I don’t know why the fuck she’s knocking on my door with this news.
“And…?”
“And… you know what this means,” she says, and I feel my jaw tic then hear a creak behind me. Turning, I look over my shoulder at the stairs but see nothing. “Hunter, this is bad. He—”
“Call Greg,” I cut her off. “If you’re pregnant, he’ll want to know.”
“God, you and he are both assholes!” She presses her lips together then lets out a huff of air. “I’ve called him a million times. He’s not answering.” She moves her hands to her stomach, and I drop my eyes there.
“Fuck me. Let me get my cell. I’ll call him,” I mutter, knowing that’s the only way this shit will get dealt with. He’s not going to answer her call, and I can’t have her ass showing up at my place every fucking day with this drama. Heading back into the house, I turn to look at her when she tries to come in. “Stay out here.”
“Really?” She frowns, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Really. Aspen’s here, and she doesn’t know you.” I close the door behind me, leaving her and Rage outside. I head to the kitchen and grab my cell off the counter. Dialing Greg, I wait for him to answer then look up the stairs when I hear Aspen moving around.
“You still alive, man?” he answers on the second ring.
“You need to come to my place. Breanne is here claiming she’s pregnant.”
“What?” I hear the shock in his voice and the noise on his end die down, letting me know he probably stepped into the office. “She’s at your house, and she told you she’s pregnant?”
“Yeah, you need to talk to her. I can’t keep having her show up with Aspen here.”
“I’m grabbing my keys now. I’ll be there in just a few minutes.”
“See you then.” I hang up, tossing my phone back onto the counter, knowing he won’t be long. I walk back to the door and swing it open. “He’s on his way.”
“Thank you, Hunter.”
“I swear to God, if you two don’t figure your shit out, I’m going to lock you both in a room together.”
“I… I might need you to do that if he doesn’t listen to me,” she says, and I pull her in for a hug.
“I’ll do it if I have to,” I tell her, then let her go, yelling out for Rage when I hear him bark in the distance.
“Who’s Aspen?” she asks, and I can’t help but smile.
“The woman I plan on marrying,” I tell her, watching her eyes fill with surprise then fear as Greg pulls down the drive.
“Your girl have red hair?” Greg asks, rolling down the window, and I feel my eyes narrow.
“Why?”
“If she does, I think she’s hitchhiking on the highway.”
“Come again?”
“Your girl, if she has red hair, she was on the side of the road, hitchhik—”
“Motherfucker.” My heart lodges in my throat as I jump down the three stairs and run across the dirt driveway into the woods in the direction of the road. I don’t know why the fuck she took off, but as soon as I get my hands on her, I’m tying her up and never fucking letting her go again.
CHAPTER 9
‡
Aspen
“I-is the dog friendly?” the guy who just stopped to pick me up asks, and I look at Rage, who is sitting between us. His lips are pulled back in a snarl, showing off a very impressive set of sharp teeth, foam and a long string of drool is hanging from his mouth.
“Yeah, he’s friendly,” I lie, wringing my hands together in my lap. Rage didn’t give me a choice about bringing him with me. As soon as the car stopped, Rage came barreling out of the woods and jumped through the open door before I even had a chance to get into the car. Then he refused to get out. I couldn’t risk Hunter catching up with me, so I let him stay. At some point, I will have to drop him back off, but I plan on doing it after my period shows up and I know for sure I’m not carrying Hunter’s child.
My hand moves to my stomach, and tears burn the backs of my eyes. I could be pregnant right now, pregnant by a man who is having a child with another woman. What the hell was I thinking? Dropping my forehead to the glass, I close my eyes. I should have known what I was feeling was too good to be true. I should have known that, just like my dad, Hunter would let me down.
“Where are we going?”
Pulling my forehead from the window, I look at the driver and watch his Adam’s apple bob as Rage growls at him. “Missoula. Is that too far out of your way?” I ask, running my hand down Rage’s back, trying to calm him down. I don’t need him killing my way out of this mess.
“No, not too far. I was heading that way.”
“Thanks.” I bite my lip hard to keep from asking him to turn around and take me back, which is what I really want to do. Even hearing that woman tell Hunter she was pregnant, I still want him. Maybe I’m suffering from that disorder you get when you’re kidnapped, the one that makes you crave your captor. Not that I was kidnapped, but maybe that’s what’s wrong with me. Maybe that’s why it feels like I left a piece of myself behind.
Pulling up in front of the house I rent with Mic an hour later, I get out, saying a quick thank you to Ryan, the guy who drove us. I take hold of Rage’s collar and lead him up to the front porch. Knocking on the door since I don’t have my key, I wait for Mic to answer.
“Aspen,” Mic says as soon as he pulls the door open. “Why haven’t you called again?” He then steps back suddenly as Rage bares his teeth at him.
“Ignore him.” I nudge Rage, who is blocking my path, out of the way so I can get into the house. “Sorry I haven’t called. I….” God, I don’t even know what I can possibly say right now. I was lost in a bubble with a man I’m pretty sure I fell in love with on sight. A man that is having a baby with someone else. A man I might also be pregnant by. Yeah, I won’t be telling him any of that, because it proves just how big of an idiot I am.
“Are you okay?” He reaches out to touch my arm, but Rage gets between us before he can.
“I’m fine. I’m just tired.”
“Whose dog is this?” he asks, studying him with fear in his eyes.
I get why he’s scared; Rage isn’t exactly coming across friendly.
“Mine.”
“You got a dog?”
“No. Yes….” I rub my forehead. “Kind of. It’s a friend’s dog. He’s just staying for
a few days until I can get him home.”
“What’s going on?” His eyes narrow and I pull in a breath. I’m not ready to talk about this with him, or with anyone really. All I want to do is go to bed.
“Nothing is going on. I’m just tired. We’ll talk later,” I lie, and he runs a hand through his hair.
“Fine, but you are going to talk to me. Your dad’s called asking if I knew anything about why you had taken off. He’s worried about you.”
I want to snort at that. My dad never worries about me. He barely even notices I exist anymore. “I called him, and as you can see, I’m fine. I’ll call him when I get up later.”
“Okay,” he sighs, not looking convinced but even more worried than before. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“I’m fine.” I give him a small smile. “I’m just tired. When I get up, we’ll order pizza and talk,” I tell him, ignoring Rage, who growls as I give Mic a hug.
“Sure.” He kisses the top of my head, giving me one more squeeze before letting me go. Mic has been my best friend since… well, since forever really. His mom and mine were best friends, so we were always together growing up, and that has never changed. “If you need me, I’ll be in my room,” he says, and I nod then head for my bedroom. I let Rage in and close the door behind me then watch my new roomie sniff around before hopping up onto the bed and lying down.
“Hunter is going to be worried about you,” I tell Rage, giving his head a rub. “When I go get my car in a few days, I’ll take you home.” I lean down, giving him a hug around his neck, then leave him there and head for the shower, where I wash the scent of Hunter off my skin, wishing it was as easy to wash away the sadness and loss I’m feeling.
CHAPTER 10
‡
Hunter
“You okay, man?” Greg asks, as I run back out of the woods, past him and Breanne, toward the house. Running up the steps, I open the door and head into the kitchen, grabbing my cell phone off the counter. “Brother,” Greg says as soon as I step out onto the porch.
“I gotta go. I need to find Aspen.”
“You need help?”
“No, I got it.” I pull up Rage’s collar GPS on my cell phone, praying that the shit works like it’s suppose to. I don’t know what the fuck I was thinking when I left Aspen alone upstairs.
“You sure you don’t want me to help?” Greg asks, getting close, and I shake my head.
“I got it,” I repeat, then feel a low growl rumble my chest when I see the GPS signal moving farther away from me. If Aspen thinks she can give herself to me then take that shit away without an explanation, she has another thing coming. She’s fucking mine, and I’m keeping her.
Getting in my truck, I slam the door then start it up with the keys I always leave in the ignition. Lifting my chin at Greg as I pass him, I head down my drive and pull onto the highway, keeping one eye on the road and the other on the small red dot on the screen of my cell phone. Rage’s GPS shows he’s at least fifteen minutes ahead of me, so I can still catch up with whoever the fuck he and Aspen are with. That is another thing I’m going to be talking to her about when I catch her. What the fuck is she thinking hitchhiking and getting into a vehicle with someone she doesn’t know? For that stunt, I will be giving her a fucking spanking.
Following the dot on the GPS, which has finally stopped moving, I pull up out front of a small house and shut down my truck. I know Aspen said she has a roommate, so I will have to get past him if he’s home. Then again, if anyone tries to come between us, I will lay them out. Getting out of my truck, I slam the door and head around the hood then move across the street. An old car is parked in the driveway, but there are no lights on inside giving away if anyone is home. Knocking on the door, I run a hand through my hair then drop my eyes to my feet, realizing I don’t even have any goddamn shoes on.
“I’m guessing you’re what’s wrong with Aspen.” A guy who looks to be about twenty answers the door, crossing his arms over his chest. He’s built, but even as muscular as he is, I could still take him out with a flick of my wrist.
“Where is she?” I try to look around him, but he blocks me.
“What did you do to her?”
“I didn’t do anything to her. Now tell me where the fuck she is,” I growl, leaning in to him, and he doesn’t even flinch.
“She’s my best friend. She’s been through more than anyone deserves to go through. So unless you can tell me why the fuck you are here, I’m going to slam the door in your face and call the cops.”
“I’m in love with her.” My nostrils flare. “You are not going to keep me from her. I don’t know what happened. I don’t know why she took off on me, but no one is keeping her from me. Not even her. So now, tell me. Where the fuck is she?” I roar the last five words, and his eyes widen then narrow.
“You love her?”
“Yes, I fucking love her.”
“Jesus.” He shakes his head then steps out of the way. “You hurt her, I’ll kill you. She’s in the last room on the left.”
He nods in that direction, and I walk past him, determined to not leave here without my woman.
CHAPTER 11
‡
Aspen
Getting out of the shower, I wrap a towel around myself then move to stand in front of the vanity. Using my hand, I wipe the fog off the mirror and look at myself. My eyes are rimmed in red from the tears I cried in the shower, my cheeks pink and my lips still swollen from Hunter’s kiss. The love bites he gave me on my chest are still there, seeming darker than before. Touching one of them, I wonder how long it will take for it to fade. Part of me hopes it never does. Part of me hopes I get to carry the mark of him on my skin forever. Dropping my eyes to the top of the sink, I close them then gasp as one hand covers my mouth and another wraps around my stomach.
“You think you can leave me, baby?” My eyes fly up to meet Hunter’s predatory gaze in the mirror. “You think you can just fucking take off on me and I’d let you go?”
“Hunter,” I whimper against his palm, but his name comes out muffled.
“I told you finders keepers, and I meant that. You are never getting away from me. Ever.” His hand on my stomach moves the towel aside then slides between my legs as his fingers part my folds. “You are mine. You belong to me.”
His fingers find my clit and circle. Without permission, my body reacts to his touch like it belongs to him. I want to hate myself a little, but I love the way he makes me feel. My back arches, and the towel drops away as two thick fingers plunge deep inside me.
“Your body already knows me. You’re wet and ready,” he growls against my ear, as his fingers leave my pussy and his mouth nips my shoulder then neck. I don’t even have a second to register what he’s doing. Before I can think, he bends me over the vanity, kicks my feet apart, and thrusts inside of me without warning.
Crying out from the sudden invasion, my head drops forward and the tips of my breasts rub over the cold marble. His hand squeezes the cheek of my ass so hard I know I will have his fingerprints on my skin.
“You are never leaving me. Never. Do you understand that?” he questions, but he doesn’t let me answer. His thrusts become faster and so hard that my breath hitches on each downward stroke. “Never. I own you.”
He fucks me harder and I feel it begin to build. The telltale signs that I’m about to come, and come hard. Biting into his palm still covering my mouth, I sink my teeth deep into his flesh, listening to him snarl. Moving his fingers to my clit, he pinches it between his fingers, sending me hurtling over the edge into an orgasm that drains the last of my energy and willpower. He plants himself deep and releases inside me. Falling forward in exhaustion and self-hate, tears begin to form in my eyes.
“Why are you crying?” he asks gently, and those gently spoken words fill me with sadness and anger.
“I hate you.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“Yes, I do.” I sit up and push him away, or try to, but he doesn
’t let me get far into the bedroom before he has me pinned to the bed under him with his hips between mine. “Why are you here? Why are you doing this to me?”
“Baby, what the fuck?” he asks, searching my face.
“I heard her. I came downstairs to see what was taking you so long, and I heard that woman tell you she was pregnant.”
“She did tell me that, but it’s not my kid. I told you I’ve never been with her.”
“I’m sure.” I shake my head and close my eyes.
“Look at me.”
“No,” I deny, pulling my chin from his grasp when he tries to turn my head.
“Look at me now,” he barks, and my eyes fly open. “This is the last time I’m going to tell you this. I was never with her. I have never wanted to be with her, and now that I’ve found you, I will never be with another woman as long as I live. Do you understand that?”
“But—”
“No buts. That woman is not mine, never has been. Now tell me you understand me.”
“Promise you’re not lying,” I practically beg, and his face softens.
Leaning back, he runs his fingers through my hair and drops his forehead to rest on mine as his cock fills me completely. “I promise. Now tell me what this is all about?”
“I—” My throat closes up with embarrassment and fear as tears fill my eyes.
“Tell me baby.” He urges gently and I pull in a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“My dad told my mom that he wasn’t with anyone when they met. He lied to her.” I lick my lips and close my eyes. “She found out he was married when she found out she was pregnant with me.” His body tightens and my eyes open to meet his. “I thought you—” My words end as his finger covers my lips and rage fills his eyes.
