Inflame Me

by Ryan Michele

I clench my fists. “I chase nothing.” That is totally true. I don’t, and I’m not starting now.

  “Got news.” His smile disappears as he sits next to me on the stool, grabbing my full attention. “Tried to find Dagger, but Cruz said he took off on his bike.”

  “Yeah, just missed him.”

  “Cops are on their way down here to question Mearna and Tanner. Guess the little phone chat didn’t really go over with them. I knew a phone call wouldn’t be enough.” He and I both. “I need them to go to the safe house out on Marquette. I don’t want that shit on Ravage’s door. We gotta get them there tomorrow and settled a bit.”

  “What about this car accident Tanner came up with?”

  “I’ll have Tug and Breaker bust up the front of the car once you get them settled to make the story true. Mearna doesn’t have to say anything except follow along with Tanner’s story.” Pops reaches over and grabs a beer, twisting off the cap and tossing it to the trash. “Simple, right?” Right.

  “Dagger taking them out?” I ask.

  “Him and you. Tomorrow morning. Get it sorted,” he orders then rises from the seat.

  Fuck.

  I CAN’T HELP wanting Tanner underneath me. The way she deals with life head-on, fixing shit as she goes … The way she thought on her feet about what to tell the cops … How loving and protective she is toward her mother … Hell, she even shows me soft, which surprises the hell out of me.

  I enter Dagger’s room where Mearna is sound asleep. I look in the bathroom, thinking that’s where I will find Tanner, but no such luck.

  Walking down the hallway, the sounds from the main clubhouse echo throughout. I turn the handle on my room door to find it’s still locked. She’s nowhere. Where in the fuck is she?

  I march through the main room, not seeing her, and then walk down the stairs to the basement where single room bunks are all around along with a big kids’ room. We are always prepared for lockdowns, bringing Ravage family here, protecting and keeping them safe. Lately, we’ve had too many of those, and I’m hoping, with whatever Buzz finds out, we won’t have the threat again.

  Moving through the rooms, I hear the faint sound of crying from down the hall. I follow it to where the single rooms are located. Most of the doors are wide open, but one is just cracked, the faint sound of sniffles coming from the other side.

  I open the door to find Tanner sitting on the floor, her legs pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. Her head is tucked down, and her whole body is shaking with sobs. She doesn’t look up or move as I step into the room. Fuck, I’m not good at this women crying bullshit. Fuck it.

  I scoop her up off the floor, her head popping up with a gasp. Her eyes are rimmed in red with tears leaking down.

  “What are you …?”

  “Quiet,” I tell her as I sit down on the small twin bed in the room. She rests her head on my chest, and it takes a while for the sobs to soften. Only then do I speak. “Want to tell me why you’re down here crying?”

  “No.”

  I let out a small chuckle. Dagger sure was right about her being a firecracker.

  “Tanner, what’s wrong?”

  Now it is her turn to laugh, but it’s not happy. No, this is saddened to the point of hysterics.

  “What’s wrong? Hmm … Okay. Let me see, Rhys.” The way she snips my name out pisses me the fuck off, but I got her talking. The sooner I figure out her problem, the sooner I can fuck her. “I killed someone. I’m on the run with my mother. My mother is hurt to the point of being doped up most of the time. I pretty much lied to the cops, pulling shit out of my ass that I have no idea how I came up with. Once she gets better, I’m pretty sure I’ll never be able to return home. She has no house, and no one will tell me what happened to my apartment. We have no money. I have no job. And I don’t know what in the hell I’m going to do!” By the last sentence, she has pulled away from my arms and is now sitting straight, looking at me like I’m the one losing my shit.

  “Babe, it’ll all work out,” I tell her, which makes her cackle. Fuck, I hate that laugh.

  “Sure. Just like magical fairies are going to come down, poop out rainbows, and make everything perfect and wonderful.”

  I chuckle at her dramatics. “Stop being a smart ass.”

  She rolls her eyes. “You don’t get it.”

  “I get more than you think. You’ve got a lot of shit weighing on you and don’t know what to do. I get it. But you need to calm your shit so it can get better.”

  “And how do you suppose I just forget everything that is wrong and make everything better?” she asks.

  “Oh, I’ve got ways.”

  Her eyes widen as she sucks in a breath.

  I lean in and brush my lips slowly against hers. “I know lots of different ways, Sprite.”

  Her entire body full-out shivers as I feel her heart thumping in her chest.

  “Want me to make you forget?”

  Her eyes search mine for a moment, a storm brewing inside of them. “Yes,” she whispers.

  I waste not a second before kissing her, lifting her, and carrying her straight to my room. If I’m fucking her, I’m doing it in my damn bed.

  I kick the door shut, turn her, and then press her against the door before lifting her hands above her head then slamming my lips to hers. The kiss is intense and brutal as hell, but she meets me at each turn, blowing my mind. She doesn’t struggle out of my grip and gives in, completely melting into me.

  My free hand traces the curves over her body from breast to hip, her skin so fucking soft against my rough fingertips. Tanner shifts her feet as my hand goes under her shirt, feeling her warm skin as I painstakingly inch the shirt up. I break the kiss long enough to get the shirt over her head and off her body.

  Her breasts are gloriously full and gorgeous.

  Tanner continues to kiss me back, not protesting in the slightest. Good.

  I unbutton her jean shorts and push them down over her beautiful hips. Then I step back abruptly, needing to see her. She moans at the loss, but doesn’t move her hands from above her head, even though I am no longer holding them there.

  Tanner’s body is sexy as fuck. Sure, there are some bruises, but who gives a fuck? A light pink lace bra holds her breasts in place, and the matching underwear only makes me want to tear them off her body. A flower and butterfly tattoo expertly weaves up the side of her body. Fuck me.

  Her chest rises and falls heavily, her eyes liquid. I’m gonna make her burn with need, burn to have me inside of her. Burn.

  “On the bed,” I order.

  Her eyes flicker as a pink tint forms in her cheeks. She hesitates then complies and climbs on the black comforter.

  Watching her move that body is the biggest fucking turn on. The way her hips sway and that tight ass … My balls draw up tight, and it takes everything in me to will them down.

  “Arms up.”

  Tanner stills like some light went on in her head, and her body begins to coil as her thoughts begin to kick in. I move swiftly to the bed and place my lips on hers, kissing her deeply and hard. I need her to stop thinking and just feel.

  Her hands come to my head, and I immediately grab them and put them above hers. I don’t let anyone touch my head. When I was younger, I couldn’t control that, now I can and refuse to be touched there. Tanner is too lost in the kiss to care. I feel each of her muscles relax before I pull away.

  “Keep them there,” I demand.

  She nods her head softly in compliance.

  With my fingertips, I trace the side of her face, her neck, her collarbone, feeling her skin bump and shiver under my touch. I pull one breast out, tucking the wire under it to hold it up. Then I hold her flesh in my hand and begin to massage as Tanner’s body arches. Responsive little thing. Wait until I get to her nipples. I’m pretty sure I’ll have to tie her down to keep her still.

  I trail my tongue on the same path my fingers just made and end up at her glorious tits. I am a tits and ass man. F
ucking love that shit. The bigger and rounder, the fucking better, and Tanner has that shit in spades.

  I lick all around her breast, not touching her pebbled nipple, as she groans in agony. Sucking her flesh in my mouth, I give her a small nip with my teeth, and her body jerks. She has no idea what I’m going to do to this beautiful body of hers.

  When I touch just the tip of my tongue to the tip of her nipple and give it a small flutter, Tanner’s body wiggles.

  “Settle,” I command.

  “I can’t when you’re doing that,” she pants out.

  I lift from her breast and search her eyes. They are dilated and on fire, just like the rest of her hot, little body. “I control this. You got me?”

  She lets out a huff of air. “Control what?”

  Sprite doesn’t even know she’s submitting. Fuck, now that’s a beautiful thing, natural, none of that fake shit that I can see a mile away just to fuck me.

  “Sex. You do as I say.”

  Her body stills at my words. “No. Sex is a give and take,” she combats.

  I want to laugh, but refrain. She needs to know where I stand in this scenario.

  “You’re right. I’m going to give you pleasure, and you’re gonna take it.”

  “Rhys, I …”

  I move up her body quickly and kiss her furiously. I keep going until her entire body melts into the mattress. I then pull away to find her eyes are still closed.

  “Tanner?” Her eyes flutter open softly. “I control this. You do what I say. I’m making you forget,” I remind her.

  “Okay,” she says so softly I almost don’t hear.

  Her hands come back down to my neck.

  “Tanner, do I need to tie your hands above your head, or can you keep them there?” I ask. Hell if I know what experience she has. She may have none and not know anything.

  Her eyes widen. “Tie me?” She must have thought I was joking earlier. I sure as shit was not.

  “Yeah, babe. You trust me to tie you up?”

  Something flashes in her irises. “I’ll keep them up here.” She moves her hands back above her head and grabs on to the slats of the headboard. It’s good she doesn’t trust me, not yet, but she does follow directions well.

  Using my mouth, tongue, and the scruff of my beard, I move down her body, my cock growing and aching in my jeans. I unlatch my jeans and kick them off, my dick instantly feeling relief from the pressure.

  I’m a very controlled man, and the fact that Tanner is seriously testing it isn’t something I need to be thinking about right now.

  I pull my shirt off and make my way between her legs where I rip her panties off before latching on to her clit, sucking hard as she bucks. I rest my arm over her hips, holding her down to the bed as I continue sucking with small nips in the process. She sets off like a rocket, screaming, but I don’t let up. Fuck that. I want her coming again before I take her.

  “Rhys,” she pants, and my dick squeezes. Fuck, I need inside of her.

  I make quick work of setting her off again, and as she erupts, I continue moving my fingers fast as my other hand puts the condom on.

  “Sprite, get ready. I wanna draw this out, but can’t wait.”

  Sliding inside of her is the heaven I know I don’t deserve. I shouldn’t be the one to have this right now, but I’m fucking taking it. I’ve never been a noble man and don’t plan on starting today.

  The walls of her pussy clamp down on me, and I have to halt myself for a moment to hold my shit together. I can’t be coming like a fucking teenager.

  “What are you …?” Her words stop as I thrust hard into her, feeling her so damn deep I’m pretty sure I may not ever want to fucking leave. “Please,” she begs.

  I lose all control. It snaps like a rubber band. My hips move quickly while I latch on to her nipple and suck on it hard as her pussy squeezes me in response. Fuck, yes. I give her no reprieve, losing myself in Tanner.

  I muffle her screams with my lips as her orgasm hits and mine follows. For long moments, we stay exactly like that, my lips only moving from her so I can breathe. Her pants turn me on, and I fucking want her again.

  I pull out of her and roll off to the side. “Be back.” I clean up and come back to the bed.

  Tanner’s eyes are closed, and her breathing is even. Fuck, she fell asleep. I climb into bed, pulling the covers over both of us then tucking her into my arms. I try not to think of why I’m doing this, allowing her slow breathing to carry me off to sleep.

  I WAKE WITH a start and take in my surroundings through my grogginess. Opening my eyes, I find Rhys lying next to me, his eyes closed and his breathing slow and deep, the ripples of his chest in tune with his intakes and exhales. He’s on his back, his head pointed up to the ceiling. His side profile is strong, demanding, and pronounced. Small scars play on the side of his cheek and his neck, but between his scruff and tattoos, they are hard to see. If I wasn’t this close, I wouldn’t have seen them. They’re faint like they have been there for many, many years.

  I just let this man screw me to the point that I passed out in his bed. This is not me, and it hasn’t a thing to do with his age. This is not something I would do. I don’t go to bed with random men and let them have sex with me, have them tell me they are going to tie me up. The few times I tried the tying up thing, it was with a boyfriend I fully trusted. Of course, it ended flat, but at least I tried. However, Rhys knows what he is doing. He knows exactly what places to hit on a woman’s body to make her scream. He is definitely experienced, way more so than any man I have ever been with.

  He absolutely has more ink than anyone I’ve ever been with, too. There’s so much ink it covers his arms, neck, and part of his chest. I have to admit, it’s a huge turn on.

  What in the hell am I doing? I can’t be with this guy. He’s scary as hell. One look from that man and I swear Superman, Batman, and Captain America would crumble to the ground and beg for forgiveness. He asked me if I trusted him, and I guess I trusted him with my body, but in reality, I don’t think so.

  He was sensational, though. I haven’t had an orgasm, or I should say orgasms, like that ever. I didn’t even know I could have them to the point where all logical reasoning is completely gone, and all that is left is what you feel. It was the most wonderful euphoria I have ever experienced. Not only that, but even after waking me up through the night, this big, strong, scary man actually took care of me afterward, holding me until my tremors subsided, and then I must have passed out because I don’t remember anything after that. But it was tender and, dare I say, sweet. No, Rhys is anything but sweet. Sweet doesn’t even come close.

  I need to get the hell out of here, get back to my mom, and get as far away from this man as I can. I can’t let the way me makes me feel cloud my better judgment. This man screams bad, and I have enough bad going on.

  His chest is still rising and falling steadily, so I pull the sheet up, covering my naked and well-used body, and slip out of bed.

  A strong hand grips my arm, stopping me. Crap.

  “Where are you going?” Rhys asks.

  I close my eyes and suck in deeply, sitting up on the bed with my back to him. “I’m going to check on my mom.”

  His fingers flex into my flesh, giving me a slight bite of pain. The bed behind me shifts, but his touch doesn’t leave. “I’m not done with you yet.”

  God, that man and his sexy, deep voice. My body trembles and screams at me to do it, and I try to block it out, but it seems to get louder and louder as the seconds tick by.

  Rhys’s other hand comes to my leg and draws lazy circles with his thumb. With each movement, nerves flair to life, and I close my eyes, breathing out deeply.

  “I have to go,” I tell him with what little control I have. Too bad it comes out weak and breathy. Shit.

  Rhys moves his body behind me, straddling me, his front to my back, his hands around my stomach. His lips graze the curve of my neck, up and down erotically, and my head tilts, giving him better access.
His hand snakes up, grabbing one of my breasts and squeezing it. Then he pulls my earlobe into his mouth and sucks hard, and sparks of want and need dance in a kaleidoscope in my belly.

  “Your body’s telling me you want to stay.” He rolls my nipple between his fingers, giving it a pinch, and my body jerks. “See what I mean.”

  I try my damnedest to clear the fog that is this man, but I can’t. My center is slick and throbbing. I need him to release it, to release this coil that is so tightly wound inside of me.

  He wraps his arm around my hair and pulls my head back so my chin is pointing up to the ceiling. “I’m taking those fucking lips,” he growls before slamming his lips down to mine. God, I love how he just takes what he wants.

  I follow his lead, fully admitting that, when I’m like this, being devoured by this man, every thought, every fear, every trouble disappears, and I feel so light. This is the feeling that I crave from him, the one that only he has been able to give me.

  He breaks the kiss, and I gasp for breath, finally remembering that I needed it.

  “Stay,” he orders, releasing my hair as he reaches for the nightstand, grabbing a condom.

  As his hard erection presses into my back, my core begs for him, pleading to be taken. I clench my hands into the sheets, surprised I’m not ripping them from my strength.

  My body obeys him as his hands come to my hips, and he lifts me effortlessly.

  “Put it in,” he orders.

  I reach down, grabbing his thick length and placing it at my entrance. He only allows the tip inside of me, and even though I wiggle, it gets me nowhere. His arms are strong and unyielding.

  I groan in agony. Everything he touches is on fire.

  “Legs together.”

  I comply, and he feels even thicker this way.

  “Come down on me, baby.” He releases his hands, and without any help from me, he slides all the way inside my body, shocking my already sensitive nerves. I don’t move, only feel every inch of him, my hands resting on his thighs for support. “Feet to the floor and one step up.”

  I still for a moment. He wants me to stand with him inside of me? How does that work?