“I can help you get situated. Don’t stress it. I’m shocked you’re staying.”
Dakota got serious. “When I saw her hanging there…I almost lost her. I need to put a ring on her finger and give her whatever she wants. I have a damn good thing, and I need to lock it down before someone swoops in and steals her away.”
“Are you going to elope tonight?” he asked.
“No. I need to put Bonnie to bed. Then I want a nice wedding with my sweet girl.”
Rogue smiled. “Right answer. In fact, do it all the way right.”
He picked up her phone and handed it to him. “The passcode is oh-five-oh-seven. I saw her enter it.”
“That’s my birthday.”
“Then you should do this.”
“What am I doing?”
“Call her father and ask for her hand in marriage. She deserves it all the way.”
He grinned.
“I will, and then I’m going to propose to my girl.”
Rogue, playing stand-in as her brother, was okay with that.
He approved.
* * * H U N T E R * * *
Zayn’s
Private Home
Being married had to be the greatest gift in the whole freaking world.
Normally, after finishing a job, Zayn would head to his hidey-hole and spend a day or two alone.
It wasn’t out of need, but just that he was a creature of solitude. He figured the rest of his life would be like that.
He’d been wrong.
Right now, they were in his kitchen, and he was teaching his wife how to cook. She’d insisted on helping him, and he didn’t mind. Zayn liked having her near.
She had poured some wine, put on some music, and was helping him chop some vegetables.
“So where did you learn to cook?” she asked as he was seasoning the chicken they were going to eat.
“Necessity. If I don’t cook and eat healthily, this body will go from in shape to a nameless shape.”
She glanced over at him.
He was barefoot, wearing jeans, and a t-shirt.
It was a pretty damn sexy sight.
“Have you ever cooked for another woman before?” she asked, sipping her wine.
“Once. It was a disaster.”
“Why?” she asked, wanting to get to know her.
“She found out what I did for a living.”
“Oh, that’s the one you...?”
He laughed.
“Yeah, ‘oh’. That was a disaster. Trust me when I say tying up loose ends isn’t always pretty, Stella.”
She could hear it in his voice.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s a lonely life,” he said out of the blue. “I never thought I’d find someone who accepted me for all my faults.”
“And wonderful traits.”
He laughed. “It’s a very short list.”
She slammed down her wine glass and he looked over at her.
“Stop it! Will you just stop?”
He was surprised.
“You put yourself down all the time. You’re too big, you have a job no one likes, you hate this about you, or you dislike that. Just stop, Zayn. It’s horrible to have to listen to the man you love, your husband, rip himself to shreds all the time.”
He stared at her. “I’m sorry.”
“Why can’t you just see how amazing you are? Yes, you’re big, and it’s wonderful. Maybe finding shoes is a bitch, but you know what? When you wrap those big arms around me, I feel safe. I feel happy. Your job, the one you hate so much is how you found me. It’s an amazing job where I got to meet an amazing man.”
Zayn listened to her.
“This lonely job was only lonely because you didn’t have me. It’s all perspective, and when you tear yourself down, it makes me feel like I don’t matter either.”
He was horrified. “You’re my Stella. Of course you matter,” he said, moving her long black ponytail. “I didn’t realize it was upsetting you.”
“Of course it does. You’re my perfect match. If you tear you down, you’re doing the same to me.”
“I am really good at cooking.”
“And?” she asked.
“I think I’m decent in bed.”
Stella shook her head.
“Good in bed?”
Again, she shook her head.
“Hot in bed?”
She nodded.
“I don’t look at you and see the bad, Zayn. I look at you and see the man who saved me four times, the man who is protecting me with his own life, and a man who is cooking for me. No one has ever given me those things.”
“I just expect that at any moment you’re going to see that I’m not what you thought I was.”
“Smart? Sexy? And Funny?”
He didn’t know what to say.
Here, this gorgeous woman actually liked him for him. He didn’t have to be Mr. Yazzie, or Mr. White, or anyone else. He could simply be…Zayn Thundercloud.
For once, it was enough.
He put the chicken in the oven.
“You undo me,” he said. “That knot that was in my chest over the fear is slowly coming undone, Stella. It’s going to take time, but it’ll happen.”
She went against his body and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I have time. I have many years to be your wife. One day, when we start a family, I hope our sons are just like you. I hope they get your heart and your bravery.”
That hit him right where he needed it to hit.
She fixed a part of him that was broken since the day he was born.
Stella accepted him.
And in return, he could accept himself.
“I love you, Stella. I love you so much. You’re the only way to break me. If someone wanted to hurt me, you’re the only way past the walls I’ve built.”
“I won’t ever hurt you, Zayn. I will love you for the rest of our lives and give you my whole self.”
“Are you giving me you now?” he asked, as her hands found their way beneath the shirt and to his chest, ribs, and back.
“Uh huh,” she said, rubbing against him. “How long for dinner to cook?” she asked.
“Forty minutes.”
“Want to go get naked so you can show me how you romance your wife?”
Did he?
Like she even had to ask.
He was all about that.
“Am I good at that too?” he asked, scooping her up in his arms.
She gave him a soft, gentle kiss.
“Oh. Zayn, that’s what you’re best at.”
He grinned.
Yeah, being married…
It was amazing.
* * * H U N T E R * * *
Chartres Street
After calling her father, to ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage, he had the man promise that he wouldn’t call until he had time to do the deed. He was going to propose, and then celebrate if she said yes.
From all the man knew about him, he was pretty sure that Sarah had mentioned him a few times.
Okay, a lot.
What gave it away?
Sarah’s father called him ‘the love of her life’.
That said it all.
He didn’t deserve her love. She was an amazing woman who not once was ashamed of him. The age, the way he left his job, and even now as she watched him kill someone…
She truly was in love with him.
Well, it was time.
As he entered their shared room, she was pacing like a caged tiger.
“Don’t say it,” she said. “I am kicking myself about how careless I’ve been.”
“Sarah,” he began but was cut off.
“I can’t believe I lost a twenty-thousand-dollar ring. I’m an idiot. It had to come off when we were struggling. I wish I never saw it.”
“Yeah, I do too,” he offered, trying not to smile.
“I know I screwed up, but I’ll figure it out and pay him back. It’s on me—just don’t tell me to
go away and that you don’t need me,” she said.
Oh, that was never going to happen. When she turned around, he got into position.
It was time.
“Sarah.”
She turned around, and Dakota was on his knee. She hoped he wasn’t going to hurt her more by doing this.
“You didn’t lose it.”
Yeah, right.
“Stop screwing around, Dakota. It’s mean. You don’t have to make me pay for it emotionally.”
He’d never do that.
Instead, he opened his hand. In it, there sat the ring.
“What the hell?”
He continued, “When you were being pulled up from nearly dying, I pulled it from your finger.”
“Why would you do that?” she asked, sounding hurt.
“I bought it from him. I’m proposing the way I should have before. I saw your face. That’s supposed to be your ring.”
“What?”
“Put it together, honey. I’m on my knee. Here’s the ring, and…” He stared up into her eyes. “Sarah Jessica Valley, will you do me the honor of taking me as your husband? I promise to always be there for you, and no one will ever love you more.”
She gasped.
“Dakota!”
“I’m serious. Marry me.”
She stared at the ring. “If you’re teasing me…”
“I called your father and asked him for his daughter’s hand in marriage. This is far from teasing. I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.”
She stared at him as if trying to process it.
“I don’t want to wake up one morning and realize that my stubbornness and focus on the things that don’t really matter, was the reason I lost you. Marry me, Sarah. Make me the happiest man in the world.”
“I can’t believe this is happening.”
He grinned. “Oh, believe it. You’re being asked to be my wife, and you’re leaving me hanging. One might think that’s a no.”
She moved closer and touched his cheek. “How did you buy this ring?” she asked.
Love bought it.
“As we were getting on that boat, I sent out a silent little prayer to anyone listening. I asked for a sign. If I won big, you’d get your ring. Well, I won a lot of money in that poker game, and I wanted you to be happy. Since this ring looked perfect on you, it had to be that one.”
The ring that had once hurt her had now given her joy, and that was the best part.
“So, will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she said. “I would have married you months ago, Dakota. I was waiting for you.”
He was aware.
Taking her hand in his, he slipped the two-karat ring onto her finger. It flashed fire.
It was perfect for her.
Then he stood. “I think we need to celebrate. I believe you started something earlier.”
He took her ringed hand and placed it on the bulge in his dress pants. It proved how badly he wanted her.
“Yes, I think I did.”
“For the record?” he said, stopping her.
“Yes?”
“Stay a redhead. It makes your gorgeous eyes stand out. I fell in love all over again with you when I saw you tonight.”
“Oh, Dakota.”
He pulled her toward the bed, but before he shoved her onto it, he had to know.
“Are you attached to this dress?” he asked, his heart thumping in his chest.
“Not really.”
“Good.”
With that, he grabbed the front of the dress, by her breasts, and tore it down the middle.
She gasped.
“God! So much better,” he said, as he was able to see what was beneath it. Sarah hadn’t been kidding.
She was definitely bare beneath it.
“This is the best engagement gift ever,” he muttered, staring at her lips. He’d been fantasizing about them all night. It was likely from when she was blowing him.
He could still see them sliding up and down his dick as they drove him wild.
“I want so much,” he said, his hands going to the buttons of his dress shirt.
“What do you want?” Sarah asked as she slipped out of the destroyed dress. All she was wearing was a smile and some slutty heels.
This was every man’s fantasy, whether they’d admit it or not.
“I don’t want to be us tonight. I want to be them.”
She understood.
Sarah loved playing the role of Trixie. She loved playing the role of Bunny.
With Dakota, she could be whoever she wanted. This was why she didn’t want to leave New Orleans.
She was free.
“Well, Johnny, what do you want me to do?” she said in that sultry voice.
It got him so damn hard.
His woman was amazing, and he was sorry he didn’t see that earlier. He should have put a ring on her finger months ago.
While he couldn’t go back and change that, he could go forward and lock her in.
“Get on your knees,” he said, and his woman did just that. Here was his enigma. She could fight, play sexy, and make him insane, and it was all wrapped up in one gorgeous package.
She pulled open his belt and pants as he slipped out of his shirt. Glancing up at him, she smiled.
“Johnny, I’m going to rock your world.”
Before he could speak, she took him in her mouth and began torturing him.
First, the blowjob began slow, steady, and with her normal finesse. Then she picked up the pace. As her hands went to the back of his thighs, she let him move at his own speed.
Dakota was out of his mind with need.
His hellion was working him hard, and he was already on the edge. There was nothing hotter than this visual. He could see the heels as she knelt in front of him.
Dakota was watching her ruby red lips swallow his rock-hard dick whole.
Jesus.
He was damn lucky.
Finding her hair with his hands, he slowed her down. He wanted to enjoy every second of this.
“Come on, baby, make me cum,” he begged, his whole body needing that release. “I want to watch my girl take all I have.”
Sarah slowed down, giving him everything he wanted. Dakota was generally vocal in bed. She had a way of breaking that calm veneer of his.
On her knees, she ruled the bedroom, and they both knew it. Sarah may be younger, but what man wasn’t putty in a woman’s hand if she could give head?
Dakota certainly was.
When she ran her nails down the back of his legs from his ass to his calves, Dakota moaned and shook.
Still, he didn’t look away.
“I’m close, Sarah! God! I’m so damn close.”
She wanted him to go over. Sarah knew that if he didn’t, he wouldn’t last long. She wanted her engagement night to be one filled with so much fornication that she’d never forget it.
With her teeth, she scraped his dick.
He gasped, dropped his head back, and his hips took over. Dakota was in control, fucking her mouth like a wild man. As he slid deeply into her throat, it was all he could take.
The foreplay had been hours long, and he was only human.
He slammed her head down the full length of him and erupted down her throat.
He shouted her name as the wave after wave of pleasure was so perfect.
His body shook.
When he glanced down, Sarah was watching him from her position on her knees.
“I’ll never let you go,” he said, pulling free from her mouth to drag her to her feet. “I’m a lucky man.”
She didn’t disagree.
“Your turn,” he said, tipping her head to the side.
While she expected the blowjob to take some of the wind out of his sails, it didn’t.
He bit her on the neck, and her knees nearly buckled.
“Oh, Dakota!” she gasped as he set her free and she tumbled to the bed behind her.
“I want to rem
ember this night until the day I die,” he said, dropping his boxers onto the floor around his ankles.
This time, it was Dakota who went to his knees. Then he grabbed Sarah by the legs and pulled her to the edge of the bed. Dropping her long, pale legs over his shoulders, and stared down at his bare prize.
“Mine,” he said just as he dove in to taste her.
He drove her wild with his tongue and teeth. He made her shout and scream his name as he forced her to the peak and then made her stay there.
She begged.
She squirmed.
She whimpered in pleasure.
Only then did he let her fall.
As she made the tumble, he slid up her body, unable to take much more of her breathy gasps. Already, he was rock-hard again, and he needed her.
He wanted her.
Pressing his body to her quivering one, they were mouth to mouth, nose to nose, and body to body.
When she opened her eyes, he was waiting.
“Here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to take what’s mine,” he said, never breaking eye contact.
“Dakota.”
“Hush.”
She obeyed.
“I’m going to take my fiancée, and I’m going to fill her with so much pleasure.”
Sarah listened. That warm, whiskey-tinged voice sent shivers across her body. She was trapped beneath him, his erection so close to finding its way home.
“No matter what, Sarah, you can’t leave. You’re mine. This is mine too. I’ve waited for you. For twenty years, I wandered, searching for my other half, and now I’ve found her. Are you sure you want to marry me?”
“There was never a doubt in my mind,” she said, watching those brown eyes show so much. While he might be a mystery to some, Sarah understood him.
Dakota needed a special kind of woman.
She was it.
“Once I take you, wearing my ring, it’s done. That’s my wedding. That’s our vows. You can’t leave.”
“And if I do?”
“I’m a hunter,” he said, nudging her legs apart with his hips. “I’ll hunt.”
Sarah let that sit between them.
“The hunt is over, Dakota. Take me.”
The words were no sooner out of her mouth than he did just that. Sliding into her body, she gasped at the force of the invasion. Then she gasped as he started the ride.
Atonement: The Hunter Mercenary Series (Book One) Page 38
