Asia pulled him to one side. ‘Hey you,’ she said, her eyes warm. ‘How’s Flori?’
He couldn’t help but smile. ‘She’s being released at the end of this week.’
‘Oh Gray, that’s wonderful, I’m so glad.’
Grady hugged her then nodded at Parker. ‘You and the doc, huh?’
She chuckled. ‘Pretty much. You okay with that?’
He looked into her eyes and realized that whatever happened, they would always share something special. ‘More than. You know I love you, right? But in the right way, now.’
‘I feel the same. I don’t regret anything, though, Gray, not one thing.’
He smiled. ‘Me either. Truly.’
She snickered and pretended to count on her fingers. ‘Let me see; that’s two Mallory brothers down…’
Grady laughed and hugged her again. A beeper sounded. Parker, talking to Jean, checked his message and, to Grady’s horror, his face dropped. He glanced up at them.
‘It’s Flori. She’s coding…’
Every time she went to see the psychiatrist, she got stronger. Yes, it was painful, and Quilla knew as she sobbed all her fear and anger out that something fundamental inside her was changing. She began to feel herself again, to want to be with Jakob, to be more intimate with him as time passed. But it was difficult. No longer did she need the hard, clinical fucking they had participated in over the last few months. Some days she couldn’t bear to think of sex at all.
Quilla would never forget Jakob’s gentleness, his patience. Not once did he flinch when she would pull away suddenly, fists balled up, panic rising in her, terror choking her. He would simply wait, a hand on her shoulder, her back, or smoothing her hair until she calmed down. She longed for the early days of their relationship where they would fall into bed easily, all of the time, desperate for that connection. Now she felt some of that feeling coming back.
But her relationship with Marley was fractured. Although she had gone to each session as Marley asked her to, the rift was still there, and Quilla felt enormous sadness and guilt. Marley had gone to Antarctica on another research trip – or rather she had volunteered to go, and Quilla felt as if she was responsible for her friend’s absence.
She had reached out to Nan Applebee, Joel’s girlfriend and the two of them had been growing closer but still, Quilla felt Marley’s distance keenly.
After a few weeks of psychiatry, Jakob had suggested a vacation, and now they were on the Mallory’s private island, close to the Hawaiian Islands. From the huge villa, they could see the constant stream of lava from the island’s volcano from a distance, and at night it was a strangely serene sight.
The island was stunning, a respite, and a haven. They swam and snorkeled and rediscovered some of that joy they’d found so long ago in Venice and Quilla truly started to believe that everything would be okay again.
They got to Flori’s room as the nurses were frantically giving the young woman resuscitation. To Grady’s horror, they had already shocked her twice but still the flat line screamed out. Dead. Dead. Parker went into emergency mood, cool, calm, utterly professional and took over from the nursing staff.
Grady, Jean, and Asia stood well back, the younger people hugging Jean to keep her from collapsing in terror as they watched them trying to save her daughter’s life.
Parker got a rhythm to their relief then immediately listened to her chest. ‘Okay.’ He said, ‘I think it’s an embolism, air or a blood clot. Let’s get her down to surgery now.’
In a whirl, they were all gone, and the three of them stood there, not knowing if they’d ever see Flori alive again.
On the fourth night, they were laying on the sun loungers watching the sun set over the ocean. Jakob looked over at Quilla, stretched out on the lounger, white bikini against her tanned skin, full breasts and soft belly, and long, slender legs. She looked so much happier, healthier than for months now. She sensed his scrutiny and turned her head to smile at him. ‘What are you thinking about, Mr. Man?’
Jakob grinned. ‘That impossibly delicious body of yours and what I’d like to do to it right now.’
She stretched leisurely. ‘Do what you will with, Jakob Mallory, it’s all yours.’
‘Anything?’
‘Anything.’
He thought about it for a moment then sliding his legs off his chair, he moved to her lounger and straddled it, lifting her legs over his hips. His hands went to the halter strap on her bikini top and released it, her ripe, golden brown breasts freed. He grinned and made a ‘wow’ shape with his mouth, and she laughed. He drew her hands together and, with her top, bound them above her head.
Quilla wriggled, obviously turned on, as his fingers slid under the side ties of her panties. ‘Side fastenings, very convenient,’ he murmured.
‘I thought they would be,’ she whispered and sighed happily as he removed them. Jakob spent his time devouring her luscious body with his eyes, watching her belly rise and fall with her breathing, trailing the tips of his fingers in gentle circles around her navel. He did this for a few minutes, knowing she loved the feeling of him touching her belly, before moving down into her groin, his fingers exploring her dampening sex.
‘I want to see you,’ she murmured, but he shook his head.
‘Oh no, tonight you’re all mine, do you understand?’
As he slipped a finger into her velvet warmth, she gasped and nodded.
‘Good. I want you to spread your legs a little wider, beautiful, that’s it.’ He moved down so he could taste her, taking the hardening clit into his mouth and sucking on it, teasing it with his tongue, feeling it pulse against his lips. His fingers kneaded the soft flesh of her inner thighs and when he could stand it no longer and bit down on the soft flesh, hard. He heard her squeak, a little cry of surprise and glanced up to check she was okay. She met his gaze, breathless and she nodded, encouraging him. He grinned and crawled up her body.
‘Quilla, do you trust me?’
She nodded, her eyes alive with excitement.
‘Good. Because I have an idea…I’ll be right back.’
He left her tied to the lounger and went to the closet where he’d stashed some purchases he’d been making. He hadn’t known if she would be up for what he wanted to do, but now… he grinned to himself and took the box out to the terrace. She wriggled with pleasure when she saw him. The light was fading so he lit some candles and placed them, around the terrace. Then he took the oil from the box, followed by a selection of dildos, blindfolds, lube and other toys. There was a beautifully supple leather harness that he had chosen especially for Quilla. She grinned as he placed each one carefully on the table. When he was done, he looked at her.
‘Is there anything on this table that you wouldn’t want me to use?’
She shook her head. ‘I told you…anything.’
He smiled, kissed her then, taking the harness, strapped it slowly around her body, the buttery soft leather crisscrossing around her breasts, more straps around her thighs, under her buttocks.
He sat back and admired her. ‘Jesus, you’re the most beautiful thing on this planet, you know that?’
She smiled, blissed out on love and arousal but said nothing. He grabbed the bottle of monoi oil and, tipping it gently, poured a little between her breasts, so it ran down her belly and into her cunt. He tipped some of the oil into his hands and rubbed them together then as she quivered under his touch, began to massage her soft skin, her breasts, and the soft plains of her belly then finally down into her shaved sex, the oil slick again her skin. His fingers moving against her swelling, aching sex and she moaned, wanting to be fucked by him. Jakob smiled, she was completely at his mercy, and the thought was giving him the biggest hard-on of his life. He grabbed one of the dildos, sliding it into her wet and ready sex. Quilla gasped as he moved the toy in and out of her, thrusting harder as she cried out, begging him to put his cock inside her.
‘Be patient, my love,’ he smiled as she groaned in protest. Wit
h his free hand, he flicked on a tiny vibrator and held it against her clit making her scream out as the buzz hit the sensitive cluster of nerves at its tip. He couldn’t stop looking at her, helpless under his ministrations and when she came, her body arching up, golden in the light of the candles, he could feel the desperate urge of his body. He ripped the dildo out of her and in one swift movement, tore his underwear off, his cock rearing up, and so ramrod hard, he could hardly stand to touch it, pulling her legs around his hips; he plunged into her, his fingers biting into the soft flesh at her hips.
He fucked her hard, brutally and she screamed his name over and over again as wave after wave of orgasm ripped through her. His gaze never left her as he shot thick, hot spurts of cum deep inside her, his body jerking and convulsing with the strength of his climax.
God, Quilla, Quilla, Quilla…..
As they both started to recover, he brushed the damp hair away from her forehead, gazing into those lovely green eyes and said the thing he’d been wanting to say since the night he met her.
‘Marry me…’
It was a little after four a.m. when Parker came to find them. He looked exhausted but smiled at them. ‘We got her back. She’s lost a lot of blood, but we’ve stabilized her. I’m afraid it looks like she’ll be here another couple of weeks at the least but, fingers crossed, she should be fine.’
Grady’s knees went, to his embarrassment, and he collapsed onto a chair, breathing hard. Jean thanked Parker, throwing her arms around the young doctor. Asia rubbed Grady’s back, blowing out her cheeks with the breath she’d been holding in. Grady looked up at her through tear-filled eyes.
‘She’s okay?’
Asia smiled. ‘She is, baby. She is.’
It was a more few weeks until Flori was released and when she was, they flew back to Seattle. Jean had given Grady her blessing and in turn, Grady had promised to fly their daughter back to see them whenever they wanted and vice versa.
‘Just call,’ he told Jean and Mac, ‘We can have you together in less than an hour.’
Mac had snorted. ‘Different world,’ he’d said, looking around the sumptuous apartment Grady had bought for Flori and himself. Grady grinned; there had been a definite thawing in Mac’s attitude to him over the past few weeks. Grady suspected Jean had something to do with it.
‘Keep her safe, that’s all I ask.’ Flori’s father had said gruffly, and Grady had given him his word.
Now, alone, they grinned at each other. Grady had insisted she have her own room. ‘I don’t want to crowd you. I know how I feel, and that’s not going to change, but when you’re feeling better, you might rethink…’
He was cut off by her kiss. ‘Shut up; there’s no way I’m going to change my mind, Grady Mallory. None.’
Later, much later, she had gone to sleep in her room but just as Grady was getting into his own bed, Flori, without a word, padded into his room and got in beside him. She still had heavy bandaging around her abdomen, so she wore pajamas but in bed, she snuggled into his arms. Grady kissed her temple then chuckled softly.
‘This is a whole new way of beginning a relationship for me,’ he drew a finger down her cheek. ‘God, Flori, to think I almost lost you before my dumb ass realized how much you meant to me.’
Flori smiled sleepily. ‘I fell for you that first night,’ she said, and he wondered in amusement if her pain meds were making her say these words, but she went on. ‘That’s the real reason I let that Kahlo go. I couldn’t bear to think of it in anyone else’s’ hands.’
Grady grinned as her eyes closed and her breathing became regular. He kissed her gently. ‘I know exactly what you mean,’ he whispered and cradling his love, he too fell asleep.
‘Everyone here? Good, good. Welcome everyone, hello again to Floriana.’ Ran Mallory smiled down the long table at them all, and Flori, a little awed by being invited to the family meeting, smiled tentatively back at the patriarch. She had met all of the family gradually, individually. From the other side of the table, Jakob’s new wife, Quilla winked at her. She felt a kinship with the other woman; both of them having survived Gregor Fisk’s knife, and Quilla had been so kind to her. It was weird, but Flori had loved each and every one of them. She found Skandar and Hayley hilarious, Nan and Joel felt like protective older siblings; Jakob was serious and crazy about Quilla, and Ran – she had adored him at their first meeting. They were nothing like she imagined a wealthy family to be. Only Kit Mallory was absent, still following his beloved Bo Kennedy around on tour.
Ran cleared his throat. ‘So, what’s on the table is this: we step up the search for Gregor, no expense spared, every possible lead followed. We scour the earth for him even if it means breaking a few laws here and there. We deliberately antagonize him into trying something, so he makes a mistake. I’m still not sold on that, by the way. I don’t want any of you in harm’s way.’
‘Too late, Pops,’ Grady said, taking Flori’s hand. ‘The harm’s been done, let’s nail this fucker.’
There was a murmur of assent. Ran rubbed his chin. ‘Then we have to decide what will antagonize him the most.’
Jakob leaned forward. ‘Gregor’s weakness is his own ego; that’s pretty obvious. So we target that. We’ve had news corporations reaching out to both Quilla and Floriana to do interviews on their ordeals. They can tell their story and we can plant things about his lack of success with women, in business, his drug-taking. ’
‘My experience was nothing compared to yours, Flori, but if you’re up for it, we could do that together.’ Quilla smiled at her, and Flori nodded.
‘Anything to help, really…put me in a room with that asshole and a baseball bat; I swear to God he’d regret it.’
Skandar laughed. ‘Ninja.’
Grady grinned back at him. ‘You have no idea.’
Ran smiled, but his eyes were serious. ‘Let me be clear, none of you is to deliberately put yourself in danger, do you understand?’
He might be a gentle giant, Flori thought, but Ran Mallory’s words carried weight.
Later, at home, she and Grady lay together in bed, kissing, Grady careful not to hurt her. They had yet to make love, due to her injuries, but every night they spent together, skin next to skin, she fell in love with him more.
Grady drew his hand down her body. ‘Sweet thing, are you okay? You were quiet in the car on the way back.’
Flori smiled. ‘I am, I truly am. More than you could know.’
She wasn’t lying. She truly was better than she had been for months.
He didn’t need to know about the nightmares.
In Sydney, Australia, Bo Kennedy’s final sold out night at the Opera House had just concluded to rapturous applause and she and Kit, having just mad wild love in her dressing room, escaped their public and made their way to the restaurant who were staying open late for them.
The meal was raucous, Bo, still high from performing, was making Kit laugh so much, he had barely touched his food.
Eventually, he caught his breath. ‘God, baby, have you any idea what it feels like to watch you up there? It’s better than any pharmaceutical high, you soar.’
Bo kissed him. ‘Well, babe, home tomorrow then…’
Kit grinned. ‘Seattle. At last, I can’t wait to introduce you to my family. Jakob tells me Quilla and Hayley are already fangirling you, so you know they’ll give you a warm welcome.’
Bo looked nervous, and Kit kissed her. ‘I swear, they’ll love you as much as I do.’
She leaned her forehead against his. ‘I ‘ope so, darlin’.’
As they were leaving, just after midnight, some paparazzi found them, and they had to run the gauntlet of flashing lights to get to their car.
Kit yanked open the door and tugged Bo towards him...
Which was the moment the shots rang out…
Threaten Me
Mallory
By Michelle Love
Seattle. 6 a.m.
Nan groaned loudly as the alarm clock went off. ‘S
hut that thing off.’ She burrowed back under the cover.
Joel, already up and showered, chuckled and bent over the bed, tugged the covers from her face and kissed her. ‘I hate to tell you this but you have class in an hour, and I have to go close on the new sports club. So, up and at ‘em, beautiful.’
She stared at him sulkily. ‘How about if I go sign some paperwork, and you go deal with some feral eighth graders?’
Joel reached under the comforter and grabbed her ankle. ‘Ha. No deal,’ he said, dragging her from the bed and hustling her into the shower. She stood obediently while he stripped her then wound her arms around his neck. ‘You know what would wake me up?’ She purred as she nipped at his bottom lip with her teeth. Joel feigned innocence for a second then, growling, he scooped a giggling Nan into his arms and under the shower.
Sydney, 11 p.m.
‘Oh, of course, the paps are here,’ Bo Kennedy grumbled as Kit helped her into her coat. She kissed him. ‘Thanks, babe, and thanks for dinner.’
‘Anything for my girl,’ Kit leaned his forehead against hers. ‘I love you, smushface.’
‘And I love you, you big American gobshite.’ She grinned widely. ‘Now take me back to the hotel and screw me into next week.’
‘As you wish, your majesty,’ Kit grinned, holding open the door. ‘Here, take my hand.’
He pulled her through the throng of flashing lights to the car. He turned back to grin at her.
One gunshot then two more. Quick. Decisive.
Final.
Seattle 6.30 a.m.
Skandar Mallory grinned up at his gorgeous girlfriend as she moved on top of him, her vaginal muscles tightening around his swollen cock, gripping and pulling, sending almost unbearable pleasure ripping through his body. He gripped her hips, as she breathlessly thrust harder onto him. He came before she did, his body arching up and as Hayley moaned out her own climax, he gathered her to him and kissed her deeply. They lay facing each other, catching their breath.
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