Keep Me Safe

by Duka Dakarai

  “No way! You put Storm on his ass? When?” My eyes grow wide, urging her on.

  “Day two with the team. He patted my ass so I let him have it with a too sul”

  “A what? Too sul….is that a martial art move or something?”

  Storm grins, making a playful grab for Brains. “Half pint here is a master in Taekwondo….but she only caught me off guard that one time.”

  She bats him away before picking up her scrabble pieces. I count my score for xylem and hand the score pad to Kane. “Your turn, big guy. Unless you want to take a break while I tell Storm and Brains how I nearly beat your ass at Boxing?”

  Kane throws me a mock scowl. “You did not beat me at Boxing. You cheated. You distracted me.”

  “Now this I have to hear.” Storm lays down his pieces, folds his arms and leans back for the story. Dalton and Brains follow suit. Kane scrapes a hand down through his goatee and smirks.

  “Well?” Dalton presses us further. “What’s the story?”

  “There’s nothing to tell. We were Boxing, she distracted me and managed to get a uppercut in.” Kane shrugs casually trying to keep a straight face, failing miserably.

  Brains arches an eyebrow. “Now tell us your version, Sky.”

  “Well…..as you can imagine, my version is slighter longer and more detailed on the account of me being a journalist.” I take another long pull of wine and lean forward to tell the story. “Kane was doing his best impression of a drill sergeant when I asked if I could exercise with him one day. Anyway, he seemed to think my body would do moves it is not designed to do….and I protested. He will tell you it was a tantrum. Anyway, then he made me mad by making a laddish comment, so I challenged him to a Boxing match. I distracted him using my feminine know-how, and threw an uppercut to his six pack……… then he elbowed me in the jaw.”

  Kane roars out a laugh. “Nice version! But you didn’t mention flashing at me!” He throws a cushion at my head.

  “Flashing at you?” Storm smirks.

  “Yeah, man. Not only was she trying to box with me in a fucking bikini, then when we get ready to fight, she pulls her top away and flashes her breast at me. That’s when she got me with the uppercut!”

  Storm and Dalton throw their heads back in laughter. Brains and I knuckle a high five. Kane winks at me at the memory.

  “So what happened then?” Brains urges further.

  “Nothing!” Kane and I shout in unison, rather too quickly.

  ***

  “Well, I’m hitting the sack. Six o’clock will be here too soon.” Dalton stretches out a long yawn and drains the last dregs of his beer out of the bottle.

  “What time is it?” I screw my eyes, trying to focus on the tiny numbers on my wrist watch. I give up, and reach for my wine glass.

  “Time I was going to bed too. That’s all I know.” Brains rolls herself out of her chair. “Oh, I might need a bit of a hand.” She giggles as she sways widely.

  Storm steadies her with his large hand. He sweeps an arm around her waist, picking her up until all her limbs are wrapped around his vast body, monkey style. She rests a weary head in the crook of his neck. “I’d better take this one up before she causes herself an injury trying to climb the stairs.” He chuckles.

  We watch him carry her away with ease disappearing up the stairwell. Dalton follows close behind.

  “I’m going to tidy up a bit. I can’t face this lot in the morning.” I gesture to Kane as I begin to gather armfuls of beer bottles. He says nothing in response as he joins in the clear up. “You don’t need to help. I’m alright with this.” I take some bottles out of his arms.

  “Maybe I want to help, sweet cheeks.”

  “Quit calling me sweet cheeks….or….” I scowl at him, poking him in the chest.

  “Or what, sweet cheeks?” And he pokes me right back, straight in the chest.

  “Or……” As I pass the sink, I note the jug of water out of the corner of my eye. I hastily grab its handle, spin quickly and throw the contents over him. “Or…..this!”

  He roars with laughter and steps menacingly towards me. I back away slowly, not taking my eyes off him. I flash a quick look around the kitchen desperately searching for more ammo. Still he stalks slowly towards me, his eyes dancing with humour. A smile spreads across his face. He swipes a carton of milk, still walking towards me, slowly backing me into a corner.

  “You wouldn’t dare…” I squeal as he empties the contents over my head. I stare wide eyed as the milk runs down my face and soaks into my t-shirt. My nipples tense and peak as the rush of cold liquid hits my breasts.

  “Damn.” He groans, his eyes transfixed as the sodden material moulds itself around the curves and swells of my breasts. His eyes grow hungry with lust, the sheer image of his rising arousal causes my breathing to quicken. I steal a glance downwards through his body taking in the slight flare of his nostrils, the sharp rise and fall of his chest, and the outline of his cock as it thickens and strains against the material of his jeans.

  A whimper escapes from my lips as he steps slowly towards me, reaching out to me and cupping a breast in his hands. He flicks a nipple with his thumb causing me to gasp and arch further into him.

  “Stop me.” He whispers against my neck pinning me against the cool granite.

  “No.” I breathe out.

  “Tell me to stop, Sky.” He growls low and deep in his throat as he nibbles small bites across my skin.

  “I won’t.” I moan tilting my head, offering my neck to him.

  He bites and nibbles along my jawline before taking command of my mouth, parting my lips hungrily with his tongue, tasting me. Fisting his hand in my hair, he holds me tight against him as he deepens the kiss, bruising my lips, claiming me. I feel my moan vibrate the length of my body as heat pools in my sex. I reach down pulling his groin harder against me, grinding myself into his rigid cock.

  His throaty groan erupts as he jerks me against him, pulling my legs up to wrap around his waist, rocking himself against my sex. A single hand reaches under my top, grasping a nipple between two fingers, teasing and pulling until I cry out in pleasurable pain.

  Reaching between us, I unzip him thrusting my hand inside and claiming his cock. I fist him slowly devouring the length of him. He breaks our kiss, throwing his head back as I massage the shaft, stroking its length, flicking my thumb over the slit. He shudders another groan as his hips rock harder into my fist. “Ah, fuck.” He cries out as he claims my lips again.

  Slowly, he draws his mouth away, looking intently into my eyes. He brushes small kisses across my chin, my jaw and down my collar bone. “Tell me you want this.” He breathes sharply against my skin.

  I lift his chin to meet my eyes. “I want this, Kane” And I take his mouth as mine.

  He lifts me into his arms, carrying me towards the stairs, still nuzzling and suckling my throat. He elbows the handle to the master bedroom before continuing through to the on-suite where he slowly places me onto the vanity counter. I smile as he winks before reaching across to turn on the shower. “I need to wash the milk away, baby.” He grins wickedly. “And that could take me all night.”

  “All night?” I laugh as he begins to peel away my clothes.

  As each layer is removed, he trails bites and kisses to each new piece of exposed skin. “Oh yeah, definitely all night.” He growls as he finally removes my jeans and panties. He quickly throws off his clothes, intertwines our fingers and walks me into the shower.

  ***

  Kane is a master. A master of seduction. He has soaped and tenderly washed every inch of my body, each long agonisingly slow stroke replaced by a trail of kisses, and now I am a panting, melting pool of arousal. My sex is pulsing and throbbing, almost painfully aching for release. I want everything he has to give me as at this moment my body belongs to him, willingly.

  He slowly sinks to his knees, his eyes never leaving mine, as he licks a pathway down my stomach and arrives at my sex. “You’re so beautiful” He groa
ns as he burrows his mouth deep into my folds. “Sit on my shoulders, baby, I want to be deep, so deep inside you.”

  He wraps an arm around my hips holding me firmly in place as his other arm reaches up massaging and teasing each nipple. Long, slow licks with his tongue up through my folds, circling the nub of my clit, before plunging deep inside me, repeating the motion over and over, torturing me until I am shaking and thrusting against him.

  “Kane…..please, Kane” I cry out, rocking and grinding against his mouth.

  Smiling his satisfaction, he increases his pace on my clit, building me higher and higher, until he sucks the nub firmly in his mouth as I shatter and convulse my release. I am still shaking and thrusting out my orgasm as he lifts me up, wrapping my legs around him, positioning his cock against my pulsing sex. “I’m swear I’m safe…….are you protected?” He groans.

  I nod, pulling his ass against me, grinding myself along the length of his cock. He inches his shaft into the sodden opening, slow thrust after thrust, agonising inch by inch. “I need you deep…..please….all of you” I whimper.

  He thrusts in one long groan, filling me, rocking up and deeper inside me. “Ah, fuck baby……you feel so damn good.” He growls, deep from his chest. I bite and suckle at his neck, along his jaw, take his mouth as he pumps and thrusts harder into me.

  The muscles of my channel clench and squeeze his shaft as another orgasm builds, milking his cock, working him. “Ah, Christ” He groans, increasing his pace, pounding into me. I sink my fingers into the flesh of his ass, grind against him and cry out my release “Kane!”

  His whole body stiffens with one final thrust as he empties himself into me, taking my mouth, and kissing us both down from the high.

  ***

  A short time has passed and I am laid entangled with his limbs slowly drifting into a glorious sleep in the master bedroom. I know I have a ridiculously huge smile on my face and I don’t give a damn. I release a hum of satisfaction as unconsciousness starts to claim me.

  “Are you sleeping, baby?” Kane kisses the top of my head.

  “Hmmm……nearly.” I mumble.

  “That’s a damn shame.” He groans, still planting kisses on my head.

  “Why?” I croak, groggily.

  “My cock is raging hard again……and calling for your sweet lips, baby.”

  I snap my eyes open, smile wide and slide myself down his body. “Oh, I am fully awake now. Give it to me.”

  He laughs loudly, his eyes dancing with pleasure. “Take what you need, baby. It’s all yours.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Kane fires out of bed at such speed, I instinctively know there is the presence of danger, as I too hear the warning call of birdsong from Dalton. He whispers to me to remain where I am and not leave the room as he throws on clothes, snatches weapons from a drawer and inches towards the door. He gingerly pries open the door before nodding an acknowledgement to Storm who is already positioned at the top of the stairs.

  I can hear the rapid thuds of my heart pounding in my chest, anxiety causing nausea to rise in my throat, as I pull my legs up and hug them tight. Kane inches his way out of the room, silent and creeping along the wall. I hear a faint creak as he and Storm take each stair one step at a time.

  And then there is deathly silence, which only serves to increase my fear.

  Suddenly, reverberations of shattering glass and crashing furniture echo through the still air followed rapidly by the nauseating crunches of bone and flesh as I hear heated exchanges of physical fighting. I squeeze my eyes shut and clamp my hands over my ears. I want to block out the terror that is gripping my body yet behind my eyelids are vivid images of Kane risking everything to keep me from harm.

  Bile rises into my mouth as I launch myself off the bed before retching violently into the bowl of the toilet. I slump down onto the coolness of the tiled floor, curl myself into a ball, and pray over and over that he will return to me unharmed. Salty tears sting at my eyes as I replay my mantra again and again.

  The bedroom door crashes open startling me and causing a reflex scream to erupt from my mouth. Brains throws herself down onto the tiles before pulling me into her and holding me tight.

  “Hush, it’s over. Kane is fine. They all are. It’s over.” She rocks me gently until my breathing has calmed. “Let’s get you dressed.”

  ***

  I throw on a pair of shorts and Kane’s t-shirt from last night with still trembling hands before following Brains down the stairway. As I enter the living room, an involuntary hand clasps around my mouth as I see the destruction before me. All three men are stood amongst a litter of broken glass, pieces of broken furniture and scattered household items, bloodied and bruised, pointing firearms steadily towards four men sat on the floor, equally bloodied and bruised.

  I tread myself carefully over the splinters of glass until I reach the safety of Kane who shifts his gun into a singular hand before wrapping an arm around me. I hold on tight, squeezing myself around his waist, soothed by the steady sound of his heartbeat against my ear.

  As the team hold their detainees at gun point, Brains takes her position as she begins to interrogate the men sat cross legged on the floor.

  For several minutes each man refuses to cooperate, each holding their silence. Repeatedly she shouts questions at each one in turn, receiving a muted response.

  I release myself from Kane and move towards the men. Kane tugs me back but I shake myself free mouthing that I am okay. I kneel a safe distance away before speaking. I try to steady my voice with a couple of deep breaths.

  “I am Sky Sinclair but you already know that.”

  As the other men remain staring fixedly at the floor, one raises his head and nods. He coughs, winces a breath inwards, and nods again. “I am Viktor.” He gestures with his head to each man in turn. “This is Yury, Dmitry and Luka.”

  “Have you come to harm me, or to scare me, Viktor?” I lean a little forward. I raise my hand to Kane as I hear him inhale sharply.

  He shakes his head abruptly. He throws a glare at his captors. “To protect you only, I swear.”

  “To protect me? I don’t understand.”

  “You are right. The girl in your film was killed. But not by us. I put my hand on my heart. Then bad things happen to you. Alexei know you are in danger and it might be connected to him. He tried to warn you to stay away. Be safe, you understand? We did not scare you. We search for who it is that scare you, to protect you. But then you hide. And your Police say Alexei is to blame”

  I smile and nod before looking, shrugging, towards the team. Each one seems as puzzled as me.

  “So you didn’t send the letters, dead flowers…..follow me? How can I believe you, Viktor? I want to……but” I urge for answers.

  “Call your Policeman. Alexei was attacked last night. Your Policeman will tell you.”

  ***

  DCI Jack Mercer grunts deeply. “I can confirm that an attempt was made on Alexei Bortsov’s life late last night, Sky. He is critically ill in intensive care at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital under guard. I was going to call you early this morning but not at this ungodly hour.”

  “Was he poisoned?” I press for details whilst maintaining contact with Viktor. I shoot a quick look to Kane.

  “Too soon for the results to be confirmed. But the early indications show that, yes, he has been poisoned. But he is critical and we are not sure if he will make it through the next few hours.”

  “Oh my God……who is responsible for this, Jack? What happens now?” I look to Kane as fresh anxiety creeps inside my body and a tremble shakes its way through me. Kane narrows his eyes in concern. He gestures to me to give him the mobile phone.

  “Jack, it’s Kane.” He barks down the receiver. “We have Alexei’s men here.”

  “Then make peace with them. You might need them soon. Is Sky still in earshot?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Then send her to make coffee or something. Or fetch the first aid
box……I’m guessing Alexei’s guys probably need it.” Jack sniggers, drawing sharply on a cigarette.

  Kane holds the phone against his chest as he indicates to Brains to remove me from the room. It does not escape my notice that I am deliberately sent on an ‘errand’. I am learning to do as I am told. This is for my protection.

  Kane gestures to Storm and Dalton to stand down and release the men. All the men stand, shaking out their bruised and aching muscles, before strangely shaking hands and seating themselves.