Stripped Bare

by Lyssa Cole

  This cottage has been the best we have seen so far, down a long dirt road, far from the main road. There is no one around for miles, exactly what we wanted. It is a small cottage, the perfect size for the two of us. There are a couple of bedrooms, with one bathroom, an eat in kitchen, and a big living room. The sliding door went along the back wall of the kitchen and out onto the gorgeous patio we now stood on.

  There is a fenced in backyard, of a good size, and I love how the land is on the hills, rolling down into the village. I want this place and Maddie seems to love her it too, her eyes dancing around happily at the yard, a few places already having gardens set up.

  “What do you think gorgeous?” I ask her, tugging her to me. I tuck her into my side, wrapping my arms around her, my face burying itself in her hair.

  She whispers against my chest, just loud enough for me to catch, “I love it, Jax. It’s perfect.”

  That was it, the deal was done.

  ***

  The house wouldn’t be ready for a couple more weeks due to signing the necessary paperwork and the current owners were going to spruce the place up as no one has been living in it for a while.

  For now, we will hide out in the hotel, our own little honeymoon, until we move to our paradise.

  Tonight we are going out to celebrate. Alicia arrives in a few hours and its time to party. Move forward with our life. Together.

  I roll over, the morning sun slowly peaking in through the blinds, causing me to stir. I wrap my body around hers, her warmth a soothing balm for me, lust and love coursing through me. I can’t help it, my cock instantly grows hard when she moves beneath me, responding to my touch. I run my hands along her sides, her curves already committed to my memory. I seared them there so they will never be forgotten.

  Maddie rolls to face me, her eyes opening slightly, a smile slowly spreading on her face. “Mmm, Jax, I’m still sleepy.” I groan, her voice undoing something inside me.

  “That’s okay baby, you can sleep.” I brush my lips with hers, lightly nipping her bottom lip. She grins, but doesn’t open her eyes. I nip her lip again and this time she lifts her mouth to mine, giving me what I need.

  She would never deny me. She couldn’t. She needed me too.

  My mouth claimed hers, crushing her lips, slipping my tongue inside to find her. Our kiss was deep, long, and I tasted every inch of her, never wanting to break free.

  I finally broke away, leaving her gasping as I slid down her neck, kissing and licking as I went. Her skin tasted sweet, and was so soft, so luscious. My hands ran up and down her body, up over her ass, up her sides, and then cupping her big beautiful breasts. I squeeze them gently, massaging them as my thumbs rub her nipples, bringing them to stiff peaks. Maddie arches her back, responding to me, small moans escaping her lips.

  I continue to lavish on her breasts, paying them extra attention. When I finally slide down her belly, I know she must be wet because she is grinding her hips into the bed, needing the friction. I smile against her belly, before slowly licking my way further south. Sure enough, when I slide my finger inside, she is wet as ever.

  “Oh, Maddie, baby, always read for me.” I pull my finger away quickly.

  She moans loudly in response, and I place my hands on her ass, lining her up with my face. I gently place her down, then I spread her legs wide, pushing myself between them. I slide my hands back under her ass, lifting her up to me, and I begin to feast.

  I consume her pussy with everything I have, kissing, licking, tasting, teasing. I lick her over and over again, up and down, sucking on her clit until she’s putty beneath my hands. Her orgasm is fast approaching and I want to lap it all up and make her have another. I can’t get enough of her, pleasuring her, loving her.

  As her orgasm explodes on my tongue, I lap all of it up, as she writhes beneath me. “Jax, oh my fucking God, Jax.”

  I grin, then latch myself back onto her clit, causing her to yelp in surprise. “Fuck!” She cries out, collapsing back against the bed. Her body is weakened but she can still cum, still feel pleasure.

  I want her to feel the most pleasure she has ever felt. Sex will never be a chore, never be for money, never be anything but pure blissful pleasure for her.

  “Jax, I’m going to fucking cum again. Oh. My. Fucking. God,” Maddie cries out, her beautiful voice ringing in my ears. I love listening to her come undone beneath me, so sexy, so true.

  My tongue doesn’t let up; it never lets up. I don’t stop until she Maddie is coming apart again, this time even harder, a third one coming in right behind the second and she clings to me as she rides each wave, screams of pleasure dripping from her lips.

  I slowly move back up her body, a sheen of sweat covering her, her breaths coming in gasps, and I find her gorgeous face, shining bright and blissfully satisfied, sated for now. “Jax.” That’s all she says as I slip inside her, burying myself in as deep as I can go.

  Chapter 28

  Maddie

  Alicia’s laughter fills the room and I find myself smiling like a fool. I haven’t been this happy in I can’t remember how long. Probably since my mother has been alive. Before my world turned on its axis.

  “Please Maddie, please tell me you are kidding.” She dissolves into giggles again, her third glass of wine hitting her hard. Alicia got here about an hour ago and we began drinking as soon as we walked in the door. I shake my head, giggling as I bring my glass to my lips, taking a long slow sip. The wine is so much better here.

  Jax is showering while Alicia and I pre-game it. Then we will get ready to go, our hair and makeup only needing a touch up. We are going low key tonight, with bar hopping on the agenda instead of clubbing. I do hope to get in some dancing though.

  I just finished telling Alicia how Jax almost pissed his pants when we found a snake on one of our walks around the hotel yesterday. He must have screamed louder than a two-year-old little girl. Then I almost pissed my pants from laughing so hard.

  Alicia finally catches her breath, her eyes glowing at me. “I’m so happy everything worked out Maddie. You and Jax are so happy.” She reaches across the table and takes my hand in hers, giving it a small squeeze. “I’m so glad you found your way back to each other. I knew Jax was a good person, it just started out a bit rough.”

  I chuckle softly. Rough is one way to put it. “Thank you Alicia. I listened to you, I trusted you, and you never led me astray. You led me back to Jax.” Tears spring in my eyes, threatening to spill over.

  Alicia quickly wiped her own eyes, waving me away with her hand. “Oh, stop. I was just giving you my honest advice. I could tell Jax loved you, he was so pained when you took off running. I just knew you were meant to be. Which is why we are celebrating tonight babe!” Her voice grew louder towards the end, causing excitement to buzz through me. She lifted her wine glass in the air, and we toasted to tonight, to having a fabulous time together.

  “Now tell me about you. Anything on the guy front? Are you going to come out here or what??”

  Alicia looks away, her eyes sad. I wish she would just come. She was going to before for me but now with Jax here, she never fully pushed herself to come. She kept saying she needed more time but I think she is afraid. It’s a big change for her, away from everything she knows.

  But she has no ties holding her back. Her family is dispersed and she was planning on leaving her hometown now that her business is gaining success. The business would be much more lucrative in a big city, a popular area.

  Italy is a fashion mongrel and she would fit in perfect here. She would need to be closer to the major cities, something along the lines of Venice or Rome but she would still be close, those cities only hours away from our little cottage in Tuscany. Better than an entire ocean.

  Not only did I find love with Jax but I found a friendship like no other and I wasn’t going to let that go easily. “Nothing,” Alicia finally says, her voice soft. “No guys anyway, but business is good, ever growing.”

  “Have you thought an
ymore about coming here to live? Venice would be such a great opportunity for you. So much style and fashion thrive in this country; I bet you would fit right in. And your business would double, I’m sure of it. Plus, the men…swoon.” I cover my heart with my hand and grin.

  Alicia smiles but it doesn’t reach her eyes and I know she is very unsure. “It’s just such a big change for me. And I don’t always whether change well.”

  I nod, understanding what she means. It’s not as easy as moving to another state.

  “Well just think about it. At least get yourself out of that small town. New York would be a good start. Think of the amazing things you and your business could do there. And in the meantime, just visit here for a while, see if you like it. We could even visit anywhere you want to go.”

  Alicia stands as I finish talking, coming to sit next to me on the bed. She hugs me, careful not to spill our wine. “Thank you Maddie. With all that you are going through, you just continue to give to me, make sure I am okay. You are the best.”

  I hug her back hard, “And so are you.”

  Jax glides into the room, fresh from his shower and looking delicious as ever. He grins at us, “Ready to party ladies?”

  ***

  A few hours later and we are having the time of our lives at the bar. The music is loud, the drinks are flowing, and the laughter is contagious. I am sitting in between Alicia and Jax as we pound drinks and swap stories.

  I hold my hand up, giggles seeping out of my mouth, “Okay, okay, time for a game.” I wiggle my eyebrows at them as they grin like fools right back at me.

  “Truth or Dare?” I look to Jax to play first and he only laughs.

  “No, no, ladies first, I insist. Alicia? Truth or Dare?”

  Alicia shakes her head, her laughter bubbling over, “No fucking way man! Maddie asked you!” She points her finger at Jax, practically falling over into the table. We have had way too much to drink.

  “Fine, fine. I can take it like a man. Hit me, Maddie. Dare.”

  My eyes light up as I scan the bar quickly, thinking of a good dare. I decide to start easy, the game only just beginning. “Go shot for shot with Alicia. Whoever downs it the quickest, doesn’t have to pay.”

  Alicia groans, “I don’t think I can handle another shot, I am pretty smashed as it is.”

  Jax smiles confidently. He has been putting down his drinks much better than we have. “I let you choose then, something fruity maybe?” He chuckles under his breath, enjoying our game.

  Alicia smirks. “I can handle something that isn’t fruity. Not every girl likes a drink with an umbrella in it.”

  “Got it. A whiskey shot coming right up.” Jax says, but before Alicia can say anything to protest, he is weaving his way through the crowd to the bar, glancing back to give me a wink.

  “Ughh, not whiskey. Anything but whiskey!” Alicia calls out, but it’s no use. Between the music and the crowd of people, there is no way Jax could hear her. He’s a man on a mission.

  I sip my margarita, the frozen watermelon drink sliding down my throat easily. I lick the sugar rim, the best part. I can’t believe I am on my third one, never mind all the wine I drank before we even left the hotel.

  “Maddie, tonight has been awesome,” Alicia slurs, her words becoming sloppier by the second. “I’m going to miss you.”

  I nod, reaching for her hand, as she hops into Jax’s empty seat. “I’m going to miss you too. Please visit and stay for a while. When we have the cottage, or wherever we end up, we will always have room for you to stay.”

  “Even when you have kids? I don’t think so, girl.”

  I roll my eyes. “Trust me, kids are definitely not in the plans right now. There is plenty of time. And besides, there are always ways to make room. Just remember, you always have a place to sleep.”

  Alicia nods, “Thank you, Hun.”

  Suddenly, there is a bunch of commotion happening over by the bar area. People begin yelling and moving out of the way.

  And then my heart stops beating and time stands still.

  Jax. He’s being carried out of the bar by some huge guy. A security type looking guy. Jax is trying to break away, his arms flailing and his feet kicking. Another man tackles him to the ground, handcuffing his hands behind his back, forcing Jax to comply.

  How come those guys look so familiar?

  Fuck. My father. It’s one of his men!

  I scream and then I do the only thing I can think of to do; I run after him. My chair falls to the ground behind me from the sheer force of me flying out of it and Alicia is hot on my heels, her words calling out to me from behind. She has my back, she always will.

  They aren’t going to take Jax away from me, no, no, I won’t let them. I push my way through the crowd of people, not caring who I hurt in the process. They need to move the fuck out of the way before I hurt them. Curses in Italian are flying everywhere but I could care less.

  I burst through the front door mere seconds after they took Jax out and the last thing I hear is Alicia scream and then everything goes pitch black.

  Chapter 29

  Jax

  I wake up to a dark room, my hands and feet bound to the chair, my mouth gagged. My head hurts something awful, a sharp pain slicing through the side. I groan, twisting my head from side to side as I scan the room. Where in the fuck am I?

  Maddie. My heart stops. Where is Maddie?

  Suddenly, I hear a noise to my left, a female groan, but I know it’s not Maddie. I would know her voice anywhere. She begins thrashing in her chair, her hands and feet bound like me. She’s trying to scream, but it’s not very loud through her gag. I squint my eyes, trying to make out who it is.

  Fuck. Alicia.

  I make a loud noise to get her attention, and when our eyes meet, sheer terror fills her face, causing my heart to race. I nod at her, trying to give her something to help her calm down. But she only begins thrashing harder.

  I shake my head at her. She is going to cause herself to tip and fall. But she continues, her fear taking over, her thoughts irrational.

  “Well, well, well. What the fuck is all this noise in here?”

  I turn my head towards the voice and see Maddie’s father, John Kaplan, strolling into the dark room without a care in the room. Behind him is his son, Connor, who is pulling someone behind him. Someone whose hands are bound to their back, tied together. I can’t make the person out quite yet.

  They get closer and my world stops. Maddie.

  She is gagged, her hair and eyes wild, as she scans the room, blood dripping down the side of her face. Hot fury flows through me. I am going to kill these motherfuckers.

  Connor swings Maddie in front of him and when our eyes lock, tears fill hers. She tries to scream, but it’s no use. Alicia thrashes again and Maddie glances her way, tears now streaming down her face. Her legs are buckling under her and I know she is going to hit the floor any second. But her brother pulls her back up, slapping her face in the process.

  My hands squeeze, my temper flaring, pain and hurt shooting through me. I am going to beat that motherfucker until he can even recognize his own face anymore. He will always think twice about hitting woman again.

  “Jax, looks like we have a bit of a situation here,” John drawls out, his voice tight. “You want my daughter, don’t you?”

  I didn’t say anything, just stared at the floor. I didn’t want to look him in the face nor could I look at Maddie or Alicia anymore.

  Suddenly, a left hook swipes across my face, my nose squirting out blood. Holy fucking shit that hurt.

  “You will LOOK at me when I speak to you, do you understand me?” John yells.

  I nod curtly, looking up into his face. “Now answer my question boy. You want my daughter don’t you?”

  I nod again. Anger passes through John’s eyes. “Too fucking bad. You can’t have her nor do you even deserve her. You failed your job with me. What kind of fucking man are you?”

  With that he begins hitting
the side of my head with his fist, blow after blow coming quickly, and I can’t fight it anymore. I pass out, slipping into the darkness.

  ***

  When I wake again, the room is silent, even more dark. Everyone is gone. What the fuck? Where are they?

  My head is throbbing and my vision is blurry, hazy. I need to get the fuck out of here and find the girls, find Maddie.

  All of a sudden, there is a burst of noise from the other side of the room, and I hear Alicia scream and gunshots go off. Fucking hell, what was that?

  Next thing I see is Alicia, running towards me in a panic, a gun in one hand and a knife in the other. What the?

  She rips the gag from my mouth, and I swallow profusely, trying to coat my throat with some wetness so I can speak. “Alicia, what the fuck is going on?”

  Alicia doesn’t say anything, just furiously works at cutting the ties that hold my hands and feet. “Where’s Maddie?”

  My hands are set free and I grab her hands, making her face me. “Alicia! Where the fuck is Maddie?” I search her eyes, sadness filling her face. She is covered in blood, sweat, and tears, panic and terror flashing in her eyes. All she can manage is a small shake of her head, tears slipping down her cheeks.

  Rage is building inside me, the fury about to be unleashed. “Hurry up and cut those ties. We need to find her. And I am about to kill some fuckers.” Alicia hands me the gun and quickly gets to work, cutting the thick rope.

  “Where did you find the gun?”

  She finally begins speaking, the events slowly spilling out. “I took it from the security guard I knocked out.”

  That explains the loud noise I heard not too long ago. “How did you get yourself untied?”

  Alicia stands, her job done at cutting my rope. She pulls me to a stand, her body now visibly shaking. “My father told me to always carry a pocket knife, no matter what. As soon as this shit started going down and Maddie ran after you, I slid it into my sleeve just in case.”