Hero

by Julia Sykes

  He groaned and tugged my hand away from him. “All right, princess. You’re going to be on top. I want you to go at your own pace.” He rolled onto his back and gestured for me to climb on.

  “I’m not on birth control,” I told him. We’d had the STD conversation, but we hadn’t touched on this, because it hadn’t been necessary. “Do you have a condom?”

  He tilted his chin toward the floor. “In my wallet,” he directed, allowing me to retrieve it. He was giving me time to consider what I was doing.

  I wasn’t going to change my mind.

  I found the condom and tore the wrapper open before quickly sheathing him. Now that I was ready to have sex with him, I was eager to mount him. His cock was big, and it would likely hurt a little after my long period of celibacy. But if I was on top, I could control the pace so I could accommodate him.

  Straddling his hips, I lined his shaft up with my opening and slowly lowered myself down. His cockhead slipped easily through my wet folds, but the length of his cock soon began to burn as it stretched me. I paused halfway down.

  “You can take me,” he encouraged, his clever fingers finding my clit. I contracted around him as pleasure fluttered through my core, and he hissed, his muscles tensing as he restrained himself from rocking up into me.

  Grateful for his control, I continued my slow progress, easing him inside until my sex pressed against his balls. I’d never felt so full. Then again, I’d only been with one man before Neil, and neither of them had come close to Dex’s size.

  Distantly, I marveled that the brief thought of Neil didn’t bring about the panic it might have. Instead, I felt a sense of comfort that I was with Dex instead. He was my protector, my gentle Dom.

  “Ride me,” he urged, remaining still beneath me. His abs rippled with the effort of holding himself back. I trailed my fingers over them, enjoying the way his hard muscles flexed beneath my touch.

  Suddenly, I wanted him to touch me. I reached for him, directing his hands to my hips. His strong fingers curved into my ass, and he pulled me down impossibly farther, pushing his cock deep inside me. I moaned and rotated my hips, grinding against him.

  “That’s it,” he encouraged. “Make yourself feel good.”

  He was still in control, but his dominance was subtle, his orders tender. I gave myself over to him willingly.

  “I want you to fuck me,” I said, my voice low and throaty. Lust had taken hold, giving me courage.

  He shook his head. “I don’t think you’re ready for me to be on top.”

  I bit my lip. Maybe I wasn’t ready for that particular position. But fear was utterly absent.

  Then he gave me a wicked grin. “I have an idea.”

  Without explaining further, he lifted me off him and spun me around, placing me on my knees beside him. He rolled up so he knelt behind me, wrapping one arm around my waist and another around my chest to keep me upright.

  I caught our reflection in the floor-length mirror across from my bed. He smiled at me, watching me watch him.

  “I want you to see how beautiful you are,” he rumbled, his teeth nipping at my ear. My head dropped back against his shoulder as bliss rolled through me.

  One hand tangled in my hair, redirecting my gaze to the mirror. “I want you to watch while I fuck you,” he commanded.

  Using his grip on my waist to shift my hips back slightly, he pressed his cockhead into my slick pussy. I moaned as he slowly filled me, the eroticism of our joining magnified by the fact that I could watch his features tighten with hunger as his eyes remained locked on mine in our reflection.

  “You’re mine, princess,” he growled, his hand splaying across my abdomen possessively as he eased all the way in. “My gorgeous sub.”

  He pulled almost all the way out and pressed back in, his cockhead dragging across my g-spot.

  “Master,” I moaned, pushing back against him, inviting him to take me.

  Keeping one hand in my hair, his other moved to my breasts, pinching and tugging at my nipples. Hot lines of pleasure shot straight from my hard peaks to my clit. It throbbed in time with my core, and my inner muscles contracted around him. He bit out a curse and thrust in hard, claiming my pussy with greater intensity. I was wet and wanting enough that there was no pain. Ecstasy glowed within me, building between my legs before rising into my belly, filling my whole body until it reached my toes and fingertips. Without thinking, I touched my clit, rubbing in firm circles as I climaxed.

  My eyes slid closed, but his fingers tightened in my hair. “Watch,” he ordered. “Watch while your Master makes you come.”

  I complied automatically, and the sight of his fierce blue eyes devouring me sent me flying higher. I cried out, my body mindlessly thrusting back against him. He fucked me in earnest, driving in and out of me with a low, sexy snarl. Primal chemicals danced through my system, intoxicating me as bliss coursed through my veins. My pussy fluttered around him, and he came with a rough shout, his cock pulsing inside me as he reached completion. He thrust in one last time and bit down on my neck, marking me, claiming me.

  I shuddered and sighed, my body going limp in his hold as my orgasm finally abated. But the warm glow at the center of my being persisted. I was whole, healed. I never had to be afraid again. My Master would take care of me. And I would give him all of myself in return.

  I stepped onto the elevator that would take me up to the FBI field office and gave Dex a little wave. I’d see him again in a few minutes, as soon as I rendezvoused with Jason upstairs.

  But Dex didn’t seem content to wait. He slid through the closing silver doors at the last second.

  “Dex!” I gasped wriggling against him as his strong arms pulled me close for a fierce kiss. I resisted at first. I was sure there were cameras, and someone in security was getting a hell of a show.

  He nipped at my lower lip, and his fingers curved into my ass, pressing my body against his. I opened on a sigh, returning the kiss.

  Ever since we’d made love the night before, he hadn’t been able to keep his hands off me. He kept telling me how proud he was, how pleased. He’d fucked me again before we fell asleep, and a third time this morning in the shower. I was deliciously sore between my legs, the slight discomfort a reminder of the bond we shared.

  My Master had helped me overcome my fear and fully reclaim my body, even as I gave everything to him. I trusted him completely. Dex was kind and gentle and sweetly domineering. A few weeks ago, I never would have imagined I could let him into my life and my heart. But he had earned his place there.

  Everything between us was still new, and the future was far from clear. Although Dex was taking time off to protect me in Chicago, his job was still in New York. We hadn’t discussed how we would make it work, but I knew he was fully committed to trying. He’d been the one to come after me and ask for a D/s relationship. He wouldn’t have done that if he weren’t serious about me.

  I was so wrapped up in him that I didn’t notice when the elevator dinged and the doors slid open. A low whistle jolted through my consciousness, calling me back to reality. I pressed my hands against Dex’s chest for leverage, but he held me for half a second longer before releasing me.

  I took a quick step away, my cheeks burning as I found Jason’s dancing green eyes. He stood right at the entrance to the elevator, where he’d been waiting for me. He’d promised me a private interview today, and he was evidently ready to go.

  “Scott,” I heard Parkinson’s brittle voice snap through the office. “What are you doing here? I thought I made myself clear. You’re not part of my team.”

  She advanced on us, her dark eyes narrowed dangerously. I shrank away, but Dex stepped up beside me, placing a supportive hand at the small of my back.

  “I’m here as a friend,” he supplied calmly.

  “This isn’t a place for a friendly chat,” she countered. “We’re in my field office, not a cocktail bar.” Her glare turned on me. “Miss Martin, I believe I warned you against causing me more t
rouble.”

  “Dex!” a new, feminine voice called out. I looked for the speaker, and found a young woman with a shock of violently orange hair bouncing toward us.

  “He’s here to see me,” she told the director quickly. “The Moreno case, right?” She eyed Dex significantly. “I ran that trace for you and have the intel you need.”

  “Right,” he said, smiling at her. “Thanks, Sam. Can you send it over to the New York office? I’ll call Smith to take a look at it.”

  “What exactly is going on here?” Parkinson insisted. “Why come all the way to Chicago for intel if you don’t even want to look at it yourself? Dexter, I’m warning you—”

  “Oh, he definitely needs to take a look at it,” Sam interrupted. Parkinson glowered at her. She paled behind her freckles, but she kept her blue gaze steady on her boss. “You know Jason found Bliss during a bust here in Chicago last week,” she continued, speaking at a rapid-fire pace. “We think it might have been brought here by Moreno’s men. He might be trying to move the product from New York. I hacked some emails and—”

  “Fine,” Parkinson said, gesturing sharply to cut off Sam’s babbling. “Scott, you’re with Sam. Miss Martin, go with Harper. Now.”

  I looked at Dex. I didn’t want to be separated.

  “I’ll see you in a little while,” he assured me, squeezing my hand before leaving me to follow Sam’s retreating form. She’d darted off as soon as Parkinson had barked the order.

  “Come on, Chloe,” Jason urged, ushering me back into the elevator. “We can do your interview while we wait for Dex. I’ll let him know where we’re going.” He pulled out his phone and sent a quick text. “There. He’ll come to the Starbucks across the street as soon as he can.”

  “Okay,” I agreed. I could handle a few minutes apart, even if my lips did still tingle from his kiss, making my body ache for his renewed closeness.

  It took less than ten minutes for Jason and me to make it to the coffee shop and get settled in with our lattes. The morning rush was still in full swing, but we managed to find a table. The buzz of conversations would provide us with as much privacy as an empty room; everyone was too absorbed in their own busy day to bother eavesdropping on us. That was good, because I planned to ask Jason several personal questions.

  While I was friendly with him in a BDSM setting, I didn’t know much about him, really. I knew he was good with a flogger, cocky as hell, and a responsible Dominant. I’d learned that much in the last two years when I’d gone to Dusk on occasion.

  And even though I’d been shadowing him for a week, I hadn’t learned much about his professional life. I could tell from observing him in action that he was a competent agent, and he approached his job with seriousness that bordered on obsession. While we’d been on the job, he’d remained completely focused on his duties, allowing Dex to answer my questions for the most part. Agent Jason Harper was quite different from the arrogant Master Jason, a man who didn’t seem to take anything seriously.

  Now that I was alone with him, I was quite eager to interview him. Maybe he’d only been so aloof because Dex had been with us, and Dex had made it clear that I was under his protection.

  I rested my elbows on the table, leaning toward Jason in an open display of interest. “So,” I began, “how long have you been with the Chicago FBI field office?”

  His face was carefully neutral, his usually sparkling eyes shuttered and dull. “Six years.”

  “So how old were you when you joined the Bureau? Twenty-four?” I knew that was the minimum age requirement to apply for training at Quantico.

  “Yes,” he affirmed. “But I’ve been with the FBI for eleven years. Just in Chicago for six.”

  “Oh.” He was older than I’d thought. Then again, I could see the light lines of age around his eyes now. When we’d been in kink clubs, he’d always been smiling and laughing. His current dour mood added a few heavy years.

  “Where were you before Chicago?” I pressed, trying to chip my way past his tough agent persona and reach the easygoing man I knew from Dusk. “And why did you choose to move here?”

  “I didn’t choose it,” he replied, his voice clipped and professional. “I was assigned here. Before that, I was an instructor at Quantico.”

  I blinked, surprised. “You must have been a very young agent to be an instructor.”

  His bright green eyes hardened to jade. “I was.”

  “Did you like teaching? Why did you leave Quantico to go into the field?”

  His jaw firmed. “I thought you wanted to know about the Latin Kings,” he redirected me.

  “I want to know about you,” I clarified smoothly. “Why did you leave Quantico?”

  “Because they made me. The Bureau frowns on instructors having relationships with recruits.”

  For a moment, I wasn’t sure what to say. I’d obviously pried into deeply personal territory. Curiosity made me press on. “So they sent you to Chicago. Is that something they could have fired you for?”

  He glowered at me. “They could have. They didn’t.”

  “What happened to the recruit? The one you had a relationship with. Did they kick her out?”

  His eyes flashed before going cold. “She died.”

  Abruptly, he pushed back from the table and stood. “This interview is over. So is our arrangement. With the next agent you shadow, I suggest you stay focused on your Latin Kings story.”

  “Jason, wait.” I stood as well, reaching for his hand. He jerked his arm back and fixed me with a warning scowl.

  “We’re done,” he announced, his deep voice icy with contempt. “You can shadow Miller, and Dex can fucking deal with it. Or he can finally act on his long-harbored desire to kill him. Either way, I’m out.”

  My brow furrowed. “Why would Dex want to kill Reed?” It had been obvious that Dex hadn’t liked him, but I couldn’t imagine Dex being capable of that level of hatred.

  Jason barked out a cold, cruel laugh. “Maybe you should spend more time interviewing the man you’re fucking and leave the rest of us alone.”

  I flinched at the crass way he described my relationship with Dex.

  Regret flickered across his hard features for a fraction of a second. Then his jaw firmed, and he tore his gaze from mine with a sharp shake of his head. Without another word, he stormed out of the café.

  I shifted on my feet, debating whether or not I should go after him and apologize. I didn’t like that I’d upset him.

  After a few fretful seconds, I sat back down with a sigh, deciding to wait for Dex. I’d give Jason some space. And I’d figure out a tactful way to ask Dex about why he hated Reed Miller.

  18

  Dex

  “Thanks for the assist back there,” I told Sam with a smile as we walked back to her desk. “You just saved my ass. And Chloe’s. If Parkinson had kicked us out, she would have been devastated.”

  She stumbled slightly, and I caught her upper arm automatically to help steady her. She tensed at the contact, and I quickly released her. Sometimes, I forgot that Sam wasn’t comfortable with me touching her. I allowed her to fall a step ahead of me, giving her some space. She blew out a sigh, and her shoulders relaxed.

  When she sat down at her desk, her bright smile was firmly back in place. She gestured for me to sit as well. I pulled up a chair and straddled it, situating myself close enough to her that we could talk without being overheard.

  “Glad I could help,” she said cheerily. “So, are you going to tell me why I haven’t seen you online on STEAM in weeks? I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ve been busy.”

  “With Chloe Martin?” she asked in a stiff tone I didn’t quite understand.

  “Well, yeah. I’ve been protecting her while she’s researching the Latin Kings for her story.”

  “Jason could have done that,” she said, her voice still tight. “You’ve been in Chicago for over a week now. And I haven’t seen you at all.”

  So that’s what this was about? I guess
I had been a shitty friend to Sam.

  I ran a hand over my hair, flustered.

  “I should have asked if you wanted to hang out while I was in town. Sorry,” I apologized. “I’ve just been really worried about Chloe. The Kings are still widespread and dangerous in Chicago. I didn’t want to leave her alone.”

  “Yes,” she commented. “I know.”

  I took a moment to study my friend. Her smile was still fixed in place, but the corners of her lips twitched. Her light blue eyes were slightly stormier than usual.

  “Are you okay?” I asked. “Is there something going on with you that I should know about?”

  She sighed and tossed her short orange hair. “It’s what’s going on with you that I’m worried about.” Her cheery pretense dropped, and suddenly she regarded me with uncharacteristic seriousness. “I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

  I stiffened. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Don’t give me that crap, Dex.”

  I stared at her, shocked by her sudden ferocity. Sam never got aggressive with me. She was shy, introverted. She rarely said a harsh word to me in the heat of an online battle, much less in person.

  “I saw how you were with Katie,” she pressed. “You’re the same way with Chloe. I saw you the day you followed her here. And just now in the surveillance feed in the elevator. It’s like she’s the only person in your world when you’re around her.”

  “Sam,” I said her name in warning.

  “You should be careful,” she rattled on over me. “You were so upset about losing Katie that you left me. You left us, I mean. The Chicago field office. Where are you going to run next time when some perfect pin-up breaks your heart again?”

  “Sam,” I barked out.

  Her mouth closed with an audible snap, her teeth clicking together. Her eyes widened with horror.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean… I got carried away. Of course I don’t… I’m just… I care about you, Dex.” She was stammering. While that wasn’t uncommon for Sam, her anguished expression wasn’t characteristic. “You deserve to be with someone who feels the same way about you as you do about them. You should be with someone who really cares about you.”