by Ann Jensen
Everything was out of her control. The scream of rage that she had held inside too long, burned at the back of her throat. How dare he keep things from her? How dare the world do this to her? She had played by the rules her whole life, and where had it gotten her? She lashed out with another shove, knowing he wasn’t really her enemy but unable to stop herself.
Time seemed to skip and somehow she found herself chest to chest with Max. Her arms pinned behind her back. Her panting breaths mingled with his as they stood face to face. His eyes burned into hers with barely controlled emotion.
“Let me go.” She struggled against his hold. The scream she was fighting to contain echoing in her words.
“If you hit me, Wildcat, it better be foreplay.” He leaned in, sharp pain shooting through her as he bit her earlobe. “I may find it sexy as fuck, but do not mistake me. Do it again and you will end up underneath me begging for my cock.”
Her pussy clenched at his sexy words. She had never struck a person in frustration. Something about her situation had turned her almost feral. He was the perfect target. Someone strong enough to take what she needed to vent. Turn it into something better, something primal. She snapped, letting go of even the pretense of being in control.
She bit his neck hard. He let go of her hands and pulled back with a shout. She sprinted away, needing to run. To get free of the crowd.
Dodging startled spectators, she slipped through the people gathered around the side of the bleachers. A man grabbed her, pulling on her shirt. She struck out with an elbow as she broke away and ran. Max would be chasing her, and she didn’t want him to catch her too quickly.
She jumped a log, then pushed through some bushes and found herself in the woods surrounding the arena. Her heart raced in her throat as she ran. Avery needed to let out the energy that had been locked up inside her for too long. It didn’t matter where she was going as long as it was away from the crowds. Somewhere that she didn’t have to hold back or be in control.
He was going to come after her. Avery couldn’t make the chase easy on him. At the same time, she needed him to capture her. Her arousal rose quickly, joining her anger in an intoxicating mix. The sound of footsteps as they crunched over leaves echoed behind her through the woods, sending her pulse racing impossibly faster. A large tree loomed in front of her, and she dashed behind it.
A small clearing was on the other side. Here was the perfect place to make her stand. She turned, expecting to have to wait a few moments, but he was only thirty feet behind her.
Max was a vision of tightly restrained aggression. His short hair a wild mess from the chase. Avery tried to speak, but all that came out was a growl. It didn’t matter. Words were insignificant. She let go of civilized thoughts and gave in to her instincts.
No more worrying about the past and future. With him she was able to exist only in the now. Max was powerful enough to take what she desired to give. His tight, chorded muscles were beautifully outlined by the race shirt he wore as he leaned forward.
His return snarl was deep and vibrated in the air. This was what she needed. Words wouldn’t come to her, but she needed to tell him what she wanted. Actions would have to do. She pulled off her top and threw it roughly to the side. He echoed her actions, tossing his black motocross shirt to the ground. This was still too slow. Avery snarled in frustration as she wiggled out of the rest of her clothes. Her skin against his was the only thing that would satisfy her.
She watched as he tore off the rest of his clothes. Desire built as she took in the nail marks that crisscrossed Max’s skin from their last encounter. Until those healed, no one could look at his chest and not know he was hers. Their fast breaths were the only sound in the still woods. Then he moved.
She clutched at his shoulders as he lifted her up off the ground. His mouth claimed hers, as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Pinpricks of pain skittered across her scalp as his hand fisted her hair, not letting her move. He claimed her with his tongue, brutal and raw. Sparks of desire lit up her body. Unable to do anything but hold on as they each tried to devour the other.
Avery’s core dripped with excitement as she rubbed against his length shamelessly. Empty, she needed to be filled, but couldn’t get the right angle to take him inside her. She growled with frustration and need, but words were beyond her.
His grip tightened as pulled her against him and strode the few steps to where his clothes lay on the forest floor. Why was he able to think? She bit at his lip as he laid her down on his clothes, the fabric a slight barrier against the hard ground. Finally he would ease the ache that had turned into a dull pain.
“Mine.” His words rumbled against her lips.
He tore his mouth away from hers and nipped his way down her body. She shook with each tiny bite. Thrashing against his hold was useless as he kept her hips pinned with a powerful grip. When his mouth reached her core, lightning exploded behind her eyes as he nipped her clit. The scream that she had held back echoed off the trees as an orgasm wracked her body.
His mouth danced across every nerve in her pussy and forced her pleasure higher as he fucked her with tongue and fingers, not letting the orgasm fade but somehow building it higher. A second orgasm crashed over the first and her body gushed its release.
She clawed at the ground, needing to grip something as her body shattered in ecstasy. As the wave started to slow, she felt his body slide up hers and she opened her eyes to meet his gaze. Before she could relax, her hips rocked and finally, she was filled. Their kiss was electric as he thrust with sharp strokes of his cock. She moaned at the earthy taste of herself on his tongue as he thrust deep inside her, reaching depths only he had ever found.
It was as if their bodies became one, so close were they pressed together. Chests touching, she wished it were possible that they could sink further into one another with just a little more pressure. He fucked her in rhythm to their racing heartbeats as she clawed at his back, trying to get him closer.
His growls echoed her moans inside their kiss. Pleasure built at the base of her spine, and she knew this next orgasm would tear her apart. She gave over to the orgasm, needing to let out all her pent-up emotions. As she screamed her release into his mouth. She felt him follow her moments later with small brutal thrusts.
The echo of their breaths was the only sound she heard as they both lay motionless. This was the perfect moment where their inner beasts were both sated. As the adrenaline faded, she felt the press of rocks and twigs against her tender ass and squirmed. He might have tried to set them down on his clothes, but at some point during their wild fucking they had ended up on the dirt of the forest floor.
He rolled them over so she lay across his chest. Her body and mind felt at peace, even though she knew they would have to talk now. What the hell would she say?
Chapter 16
Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned, and sinned and…
The beat of Cat’s heart against his chest slowed as they both caught their breath. Max felt the new scratches on his arms and back and couldn’t hide the smile that pulled at his lips. He had been an asshole trying to hold back information from her, but he hadn’t expected it to push her over the edge like that. It was habit not to talk about his past to anyone. The memories of those times were something he preferred to forget.
This beautiful wild woman deserved more from him. Though he couldn’t regret the outcome. Never before had sex felt so raw. He was becoming addicted to his Wildcat. If he was going to keep her from running from him he was going to have to share and pray that the sins of his past didn’t destroy the heat between them.
Max swallowed and gathered his thoughts as he stroked her hair. “I was undercover with the Stepanov Bratva for over two years.” His words felt hollow but he forced himself to continue. “Back then they were closely tied to the Russian government and had access to information the US Government wanted badly. I was recruited for the mission because I had a flexible moral code, a talent for languages and accents and
the physical skills criminal organizations needed.” Or at least that was the polite version of what his files said. “I was told I should do what was necessary in order to move up in the organization.”
Cat shifted against him, settling her ear onto his chest. He couldn’t resist running a hand down her long hair again. The silky feel of it against his fingers calming and comforting.
“The man you know as Victor Taylor, was a punk nineteen year old named Viktor Gunav. He was my way into the organization. As the bastard son of the head of the Borisyuk Clan he would do anything to make his daddy notice him. I was to help him.” Max took a deep breath trying to explain. “The Borisyuk Clan was high up in the Stepanov Bratva so helping him rise in power was a great way to get inside the organization without raising suspicion. Making friends with him was easy. Within months we obtained a reputation for brutality because that was the quality most prized by his father.” Memories skittered across his mind. The bloody images of both innocent and guilty men were a slideshow of horror in his thoughts.
Cat’s hand traced circles on his chest. Her breath warm against his chest. “You did what you had to do to complete the mission. I get that.”
“Yeah.” Max sighed. “Except I never got any information big enough to merit action. After two years the Stepanov Bratva fell out of favor so I was pulled for a different assignment. I did manage to kill a few of the low level scum with me when I faked my death but everything I’d done meant nothing except filling in a few blanks in some black files.” He shook his head trying to push back his anger. “I don’t know how Viktor ended up in the US or as an FBI agent but that man is a cold-hearted sociopath who enjoys hurting people.”
Her hand settled against his chest, the warmth soaking into his skin. “So you think he’s a Russian spy?”
“It’s the only thing that makes sense. I still don’t understand why he would go after you.” Max enjoyed the glide of her skin as she shifted against him.
“I don’t know. It’s possible he was the one who set me up to begin with and was afraid if I was alive people might find out about his role in it. Maybe your people will find something more in the files I stole from him.” She tilted her chin up and Max saw pain and exhaustion echoed in her eyes. “I’m sorry I pushed you.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Not the healthiest of reactions to being annoyed, but I get it.”
“Do you?”
“It is human nature. Fight or flight. With what you’ve been through the last year, it’s got to be hard not to see every situation as conflict. I don’t ever see you fleeing, Wildcat, but I’m not the enemy. No matter how hot this was, we can’t take a break to fuck it out every time you get angry.”
She sat up, and he let her straddle him. Her gorgeous breasts a wonderful sight as she huffed, obviously annoyed. “That is only part of it. My whole life I’ve had to be less and somehow more than the men around me. It’s frustrating. Work or relationships the double standard is stupid. When Tari and Cami thought I was your Old Lady, they gave me the run down on the rules.” She shook her head. “I thought you were better than that.”
Her position had the warm, wet center of her pussy pressing down on his cock. He couldn’t stop his body from reacting to the magnificent woman on display above him. Max ran his hands up her thighs and pinned her hips in place so she didn’t squirm making things worse. “Better than what?”
“Treating women like objects. I saw the property patches. Heard all about the obey your man rules.” She leaned forward as much as he would let her to stare down at him. His dick pulsed. “I am not your property.”
Max shook his head. “You say that word with such scorn, it is obvious you don’t understand what it means.” He tightened his grip, enjoying the way she softened into his hold. “Words only have the meaning we choose to give them. Did any of the Old Ladies you met seem abused or unhappy?”
“That’s not the point.” She rolled her eyes.
“Isn’t it?” Max gave her his most serious stare. “When a Dark Son claims a woman, it means more than a Civilian marriage. It’s not about material things like taxes, insurance or finances. She becomes part of the Dark Sons family. Someone to protect and cherish, no matter what. She gains hundreds of men across the country who will lay down their lives to keep her safe.” Max sat up, the movement setting them eye to eye. “Does that mean she has to show respect to those men? Yes. Does it mean she has to follow orders to be sure they have the best possible chance to keep her safe? Also yes. So don’t disrespect what you don’t understand.”
“Women are not less than men.”
He slid his hands up her sides, and her breath caught in a beautiful shudder. “Never said they were. But we are different. Fair or not. In this life we lead, the men are responsible for protecting each other and the women. That is the way we choose to live. The women flourish under that protection not because they are weak, but because they are strong enough to let someone else help them.”
He brushed his thumbs under her breasts with light strokes. Her nipples puckered into tight points. Max understood she was struggling with his words. It was a concept many people had difficulty with. Society taught that depending on others was a weakness, especially if you were a woman. Property meant something that was valued, something important enough to claim.
“But men don’t need help? Someone to shelter them so they can flourish?” Cat’s raised eyebrow was adorable.
Max cupped her cheek. “Of course they do. That is why we are a Brotherhood. True democracies don’t work because individual fear often rules the will of the people. In an MC you have to give up that fear and trust in your Brothers. I have to follow orders, show respect, and put the good of my Club before myself.”
Did she realize how she leaned into his touch, seeking more contact? Her mind might fight the concept of submission, but her body obviously yearned for someone to share her burden. He stroked her cheek lightly with his thumb. Max swallowed a groan as her hips shifted, rocking her against his cock.
She closed her eyes and her hips tilted. He slid in the honey between the warm folds of her pussy as she started a slow rocking motion. He hadn’t thought he could be ready again so quickly, but something about her had his body primed for another round.
“What if you don’t agree with the order?” A deep moan followed her words as the tip of his cock slid inside her.
It was hard to concentrate while she took him slowly into her depths. Max knew this was an important conversation and if she needed to be riding him while they had it, he wasn’t going to complain. He slid one hand into her hair and the other around her hips, shifting so he could seat himself fully inside her. The motions were slow and deliberate. They needed to be joined as one so they could communicate on the most primal level.
“I can disagree. I have disagreed.” He slid her up and down the length of his cock. “But in the end we have a chain of command and trust they know what is best for us all.”
She relaxed into his grip, letting him move her with slow deliberate motions. Her nipples pebbled with excitement and rubbed against his chest with each thrust.
“And they’ll never betray you? Never abandon you?”
The yearning in his Wildcat’s voice was painful to hear. The connection of Brotherhood was hard to explain, but he tried. “They’re human, so anything is possible, but there is a reason you can’t join on a whim. By the time you have been a Prospect, you know what joining will mean. Not only the fun parts but the work it takes to be part of something bigger than yourself. And the Brothers have seen you in both good and bad times. It’s an informed choice you make for life.”
His thoughts scattered as she ground against him her pussy tightening. Her hands cupped her breasts in a tempting display. He wanted to bite down on her dusky nipples, but knew if he did this conversation would be over.
“For life seems like an unrealistic temptation and trap.” Her breath was coming in short gasps.
Max was impressed sh
e could think so clearly. The sensation of her riding his cock was a slow burn of pleasure that was going to end as explosively as their previous more energetic fucking had. He thrust up into her then held her tight, their bodies joined as closely as they could be.
“No one is held against their will, but the cost of leaving is high. Once you’ve known true acceptance, would you throw it away for some small disagreement?”
“No.” Her answer was a small exhale against his lips.
It was like their souls touched, and Max knew she would be his salvation. Her wild spirit and fire would burn away the darkness he had been trapped in for so long. It didn’t matter they had only known each other a short time. Instinct had kept him alive this far in his life and every cell of his being told him she was the one.
He didn’t want to scare her, but he had never backed away from a truth he understood so deeply. “If I claim you in front of my Brothers and if you accept, there will be no going back. You will be mine not just for the moment but for forever.” He pulled back and thrust into her, that sound of their bodies meeting like a punch. “Remember that, Wildcat.”
He took her mouth in a kiss that held all his banked passion. He tried to show her with every part of his body what his words couldn’t. She melted into him and for one blissful moment he swore she fully gave over to him. Would she be able to accept him and everything that meant once she was no longer trapped by situation and circumstance?
Chapter 17
“We are not retreating – We are advancing in another direction” – Douglas Macarthur
* * *
Avery didn’t think she had ever been so content before. The word ‘contentment’ wasn’t enough to describe the peace and purpose she was experiencing. It wasn’t the ache of her well satisfied body or that they were any closer to clearing her name. It was a sense that things were under control and there would be a solution.
