by Khloe Wren
Her body relaxed beneath me as I pressed my lips to her forehead. How could I make her understand that I wanted her, not because I’d been told to keep her safe, but because I adored her? I wasn’t sure if I loved her–I hadn’t known her long enough for that level of emotion yet. But I did know her well enough to know that if I left her alone like she wanted, to read that letter, she’d fall apart and be forced to attempt to put herself back together again. I didn’t want her to suffer through that alone, she didn’t need to. I would always be here for her, but I wasn’t sure how to make her believe it.
“Because, sweetheart, I don’t believe you really want to be alone. You’re going to want someone to vent to about whatever you read. Whether it’s crying or yelling, you’re going to need to let that shit out. You can unload on me.”
She shook her head. “Just because we’re good together in bed–”
With a finger pressed over her lips, I stopped her from talking. “Yeah, I love your body and want to have you in my bed each and every night–but I want more than that. I want to be your rock, Silk. I don’t know how else to tell you, how to make you believe. So how about you give me a fucking chance here, and let me show you.”
She blinked up at me, looking impossibly vulnerable. It made my heart bleed for her. I rolled off her and in a flash, had her settled between my thighs, with her back against my chest, as I leaned against the headboard of the bed.
“Grab the envelope and let’s rip this band aid off. I’m dog tired, and I know you must be too. So, just hurry the fuck up and read the thing so we can get some shut-eye.”
I bit back a groan when she leaned forward and ground her ass against my rock-hard cock. Dammit. I was trying to be a gentleman here, and she was teasing the shit out of me. With a huff, she sat with her back straight once she had the parcel. Stubborn woman. I shifted to sit forward, so my front was pressed against her back and I could wrap my arms around her waist as I rested my chin lightly on her shoulder. Naturally, she stiffened and stopped moving.
“What are you doing?”
“Offering you support.”
She twisted to stare at me a moment before turning back with a shake of her head and a huff. “Whatever.”
Carefully, she peeled the envelope open before she tilted it, so the contents slipped out on the bed. A crisp page of lined paper filled with messy handwriting was on top of a thick, bound stack of photocopied pages. From what I could see, they were ledger pages of some kind, but without a closer look, I couldn’t tell for certain. Silk dropped the now-empty envelope and lifted the bundle of papers. After pulling on the string that bound the pages, she took one hand from it to lift the note. I snapped my hands up and grabbed the bundle before we ended up with pages all over the damn place.
She gasped at my quick movement, but didn’t object when I held the bundle closer so I could read the first page. Definitely a ledger, of criminal activities by the looks.
“What is this shit?”
“It looks like a copy of the book I gave Antonio.”
I flicked through the pages, reading random entries.
“Fuck me. This is a detailed report of years of the mob’s dealings. No fucking wonder Sabella came after you to get it. Even with the time lapse, this shit would cause them one hell of a lot of trouble.”
She shook her head. “It wasn’t just the book that Sabella wanted. Inside the book was the key to the deposit box. I can only assume the box had either cash or bank account details. From what Antonio said, I think my dad stole a lot of money from them. And the L.A. mob wasn’t the only one he had dirt on. There were a number of books in his bag, but only one of them was relevant to Antonio.”
I set the pages down on the mattress before I used a finger against her chin to turn her face towards me.
“Books? He left more of these reports for you?”
She gave me a small nod. “There were six in the bag. It’s the real reason I left it behind when I was there with Antonio. I didn’t want him to get his hands on the others.”
My instincts flared that I wasn’t going to like what those books contained. “Who are the other books on, baby?”
She stiffened and her gaze hardened. “They’re nothing you need to worry about.”
“Like hell they are.”
As much as I wanted to stay wrapped around Silk here in bed. I knew I needed to see those other books. Detangling myself for her warm, soft body, I strode out the room and into the lounge area, where we’d tossed the contents of all the saddle bags from our bikes when we arrived. It had been late and we were all tired, so we’d dropped it all here. The boys had done a quick search of the grounds, then headed straight to bed. I was jealous as fuck of Mac and Taz, sleeping peacefully, while I was here about to open what I suspected was going to be a fucked-up Pandora’s Box.
“What are you doing?”
Mac’s deep voice startled me. I hadn’t been paying attention to my surroundings. Such a stupid thing to do. We still potentially had enemies after us. Without responding to him, I pulled her father’s bag free of the pile and dropped it on the table.
“Investigating. Fuck, it’s still locked.”
Mac was by my side in a heartbeat. “These things are a piece of cake to get off.”
My lips quirked as Mac pulled out a pocket knife. “Not that I have any doubt of your skills, brother. But we can’t destroy the lock. Not without Silk knowing what we’ve done.”
Mac returned his trusty Leatherman, the one that had earned him his moniker of MacGyver, to his pocket before leaning against the wall casually.
“You have any idea what’s in there?”
I rubbed a palm over the back of my neck. “Books. Ledgers Silk’s dad kept on various organizations.”
Taz stepped out of shadows where he’d concealed himself. “Her old man was an accountant?”
I shook my head. “I don’t think so. These ledgers are more about dirty deeds rather than tax returns. I have no idea who he’s got dirt on. Other than the L.A. mob, that is. She handed over a book to Sabella this morning, and just now when she opened the package her father left her, she found a copy of that particular ledger.” I sucked in a sharp breath. “Oh, fuck.”
Mac was instantly on alert. “What?”
I shook my head. “Nothing you two need to worry about. There was a letter from him in the package. I wanted to be with her when she read it. What’s the bet the reason she didn’t follow me out here to stop me getting the bag, is because she’s in there reading the damn thing.”
Taz tilted his head. “I don’t get why it’s a big deal you be there. It’s just a letter, what could he have put in it that would affect you?”
I rolled my eyes. “Fuck, Taz, are you really that clueless? No wonder you’re single. Silk’s my woman, that letter is going to tear her fucking heart out no matter what it says. She’s going to need a shoulder to cry on, someone to lean on. I intend to be that for her.” I snatched the bag off the table. “We’ll discuss all this in more detail tomorrow.”
“See if you can get a look in that bag before then.”
After giving Mac a nod, I headed toward the master bedroom and Silk, hoping like hell she hadn’t locked herself in the bathroom, or something crazy, trying to hide from me.
Chapter 10
Silk
A creaking sound alerted me to Eagle’s return. I wiped away the tears on my face and took a couple of deep breaths, trying to rein in my emotions. Not that it helped. From the moment I read the first line of the damn letter I was crying. Anyone knows that something starting with the clichéd “If you’re reading this, then I’m no longer with you...” is going to be heart-wrenching to read.
“Fuck, baby, I knew you shouldn’t have read that on your own.”
Through blurry eyes I watched as Eagle dumped my father’s bag next to my handbag on the end of the bed, then pulled his shirt over his head. Even blurry-eyed, my gaze followed each ripple of movement his muscular abs and pecs made. Kneeling
on the mattress, he easily scooped me up and sat with me cradled in his lap.
Needing comfort, I didn’t fight him, just put my arms around him, buried my face against his throat and cried. I let out the pain of my grief, and my anger that the only reason I’d lost my parents was because my father was a damn fool.
Eagle’s embrace was perfect. Firm, but gentle strokes of his palms over my hair and back soothed me until I ran out of tears. Hiccupping in the aftermath, he pushed my hair behind my ear, then ran his knuckles down my cheek, which had to be red and puffy. I’d never been a pretty crier. I must look like a total hot mess, but when I looked up at his face, I only saw compassion and sympathy. No revulsion at all. Was the man going for sainthood or something?
“Why are you doing this? For real. Do you want your top rocker that much?”
He flinched at my words before he leaned in and pressed another of those kisses to my forehead that made my soul sigh.
“Looking after you has nothing to do with the club, sweetheart. Sure, Scout told me to keep you safe, but I’m pretty sure he only did that because he knew full well I’d have done it regardless.”
I lifted my hand to wipe away the last few tears from my eyes and face. I wasn’t sure what the fuck to say to him, so I didn’t say a thing. I rested my head back on his shoulder and toyed with the dog tags hanging over his pecs.
“Now I’ve had you, baby, it’s going to be fucking hell to go back to acting like I haven’t when we go back to the clubhouse. I want you, Silk. Not just to scratch some itch, but for the long haul. From the first time I saw you ride in that poker run last year, you’ve had my full attention.”
My lips twitched with the start of a smile. “You saying you want me for your old lady, Eagle?”
“Fuck yeah, that’s what I’m saying.”
My heart swelled and a wave of warmth passed through me. I continued to fiddle with the metal dog tags as he stroked his fingers through my hair.
“Once we leave here, we really are going to have to be hands off until you patch in. You know that, right? Even if Scout knows how you feel about me, until you have your top rocker, we can’t be together.”
“You’re underestimating my resourcefulness, Silk. It’ll be hands-off in public, but I’ll be sneaking into your personal space every chance I get. Don’t you worry about that.”
That made me smile, even though my heart still felt bruised from reading my father’s letter. This wonderful man managed to make me smile. Wanting to stay in the moment, I decided to tease him a bit more.
“Is that right, big guy? And how are you planning on that?”
He held out his arm and rolled it in so I could see the outside of his bicep. He had his Marine Corps tattoo dead center but aside from that, his skin was ink free.
“Plenty of blank canvas for you to work your magic on, baby.”
Instantly ideas started running through my mind. I ran my fingers over his collarbone and up to his shoulder.
“An eagle across here and over your shoulder would look fucking awesome.”
He chuckled, his body shaking beneath me. “Bet you’ll have the thing all planned out before morning, won’t you? I have no idea how you do it.”
I shrugged a shoulder, and kept tracing my fingers over his smooth skin, unable to stop now I’d started. “It’s how I’m wired. I love designing tatts, especially big pieces.” Wanting to see how far I could push him, I lowered my hand and gave his nipple a quick sharp pinch. He hissed and stiffened at the flash of pain. “Getting your nipples pierced would give you another reason to see me.”
“Fuck, Silk. You’re playing with fire.”
Smiling I moved to straddle his lap. Leaning in, I pressed my lips to his as I tweaked both his nipples. Hard. He bucked beneath me, his thick, denim-covered erection pressing against my pussy and causing streaks of desire to shoot through me.
With a growl he pulled away from my mouth, gripped the bottom of my shirt and tore it over my head. He attacked my bra until I sat topless, my breasts swaying with my heavy breathing. With a smirk he flicked both my nipples, aiming at the small bars that ran through each one. My body stilled as arousal rolled through me. A groan escaped when he palmed both breasts and began kneading them.
“The piercing room has a lockable door right?”
“Uh huh.”
I had no idea what he was thinking, all I could concentrate on was how fucking good his hands felt on me.
“I’ll let you pierce one nipple, on one condition.”
Fighting past the fog of arousal in my head, I stopped grinding against his lap and placed my hands on his shoulders to steady myself.
“And that would be?”
“You do it naked, and afterward I get to fuck you.”
Heat flashed across my cheeks and spread down my neck. The thought of sliding my needle through his dark skin, then having him fill me was fucking hot as hell.
“The door might lock, but there’s no sound proofing. We’d have to be quiet. And piercings don’t take long, we’d have to be fast.”
A wide grin split his face. “Oh, I can fuck you hard and fast, baby. If you can’t stay quiet, I’ll just have to find something to gag you with.”
I rocked against his erection again as my pussy flashed hot. I was so fucking horny I was about to explode–and we both still had our pants on!
The next thing I knew, I was on my back and Eagle was looming over me. He took my mouth with his. Passionate, drugging kisses that left my mind spinning. Then he moved down, nibbling his way over my breasts, then teasing each nipple with tugs mixed in with his swirling tongue and hard sucks. I was writhing against his hard body by the time he got to my waist. He unbuttoned my jeans and I lifted my ass to help him slide them, and my panties, off. He slid down the mattress until he stood at the end. I was now completely naked and he stood there in his jeans, with his hot gaze running over me from head to toe.
“You are so fucking sexy, babe.”
With that he attacked his jeans like he couldn’t wait to have me. As he lowered the denim, taking his boxers with them, I sighed in appreciation. His thighs were as hard and muscular as the rest of him. And his cock was beautiful. Thick, and not too long, it stood proud. Ready for action. My mouth watered at the sight he made buck-ass naked. Every inch of him was taut muscle and strength. Then something he’d said early finally registered.
“You know, you gave me two conditions, not one. Does that mean I get to pierce your flesh twice?”
He stilled with one knee on the mattress to frown down at me.
“You ain’t poking a needle through my cock, baby. No fucking way.”
I pouted. “I thought marines were all tough and not afraid of pain?”
With a shake of his head, he prowled up the bed, each move mesmerizing me with the way his muscles flexed and shifted. “It ain’t the fucking pain that’s stopping me, sweetheart. It’s the months of no sex while the bitch heals that has me saying no.”
I lifted up so I was propped up on my elbows as he came to a stop over my lower half. “And just how did you know about the recovery time? You considered getting one, Eagle?”
“Nope, not me. Someone I know got one a few years back.”
Did Taz or Mac have one? The way he winced had me thinking it had to be one of them. But before I could ask anything else he pushed my thighs apart and put his oh, so talented mouth to good use. Within seconds his skilled tongue and fingers had me squirming on the bed and my mind had cleared of anything that had worried me earlier. All I felt now was pleasure, and it made my heart swell even more for this hunk of a man. I knew at least part of the reason for this seduction was to distract me, and I gladly let him. Because, well, fuck. I wanted him too damn bad to resist.
Eagle
Even before joining the Marines, I always woke at sunup. It didn’t matter if I’d been up till the early hours of the morning, didn’t matter I was worn the fuck out after spending more time fucking my woman than sleeping, once I di
d finally hit the sheets.
The sun was up, so I was awake. Of course, this morning it came with the benefit that I got to really look at Silk. Fuck, she was a stunning woman. She was fast asleep, half on her side, half on her front. Her face looked peaceful, no lines of worry marring the perfection of her soft skin. Her arm was up enough to show me the full expanse of skin over her ribs. A large tattoo covered the flesh. It was an epic piece of artwork. The New York skyline, complete with the twin towers, was behind a cross. An American flag was wrapped around the cross with the words ‘RIP’ and ‘9/11/2001’ artfully written within it.
Unable to resist, I gently ran a fingertip over the design, and chuckled when she scrunched her face up and rolled all the way over onto her front. I pushed the comforter down past her toned ass. Silk worked out and kept herself in really good shape. She was still all woman though, with sweet curves that made my mouth water. I leaned down and nipped her butt. With a squeal she pulled away from me. Well, she tried. I hauled her back, rolling her over in the process.
“Morning, beautiful.”
She opened one eye and glared at me as I moved to cage her body beneath mine.
“No way is it morning yet. Get off me!”
“Sun’s been up for a while now. Definitely morning.”
I lowered and pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth and nipped her chin, then when she gasped, I took her lips, thrusting my tongue in to dance with hers. My cock had already been hard, and now it throbbed. I rocked my hips, rubbing the length of it against her bare mound as I continued to possess her mouth. When I couldn’t stand not being inside her another moment, I pulled back to reach for a condom. I was really fucking glad I remembered to grab a box yesterday in our travels. As I leaned over, she started running her hands over me–lazy, gentle strokes that had a shudder running through me from head to foot.
“Fuck, that feels good, Silk.”
With a moan she lifted her head and ran her tongue over my nipple.
Growling, I gloved up faster than ever before. I slipped a hand down between her thighs and circled her clit as I took her nipple in my mouth, flicking her piercing with my tongue. She tasted so fucking sweet everywhere. Keeping my thumb on her clit, I twisted my hand so I could get two fingers inside her. I groaned as I easily slid into her pussy–she was wet and slick already. Fucking perfect. I only teased her for a short while. I was too fucking desperate to be inside her to drag this out. Lifting her thigh, I lined up my cock at her entrance as she curled her leg around my waist.
