Ruthless Protector (A Lawless Kings Novel Book 4)

by Sherilee Gray

  And then, fuck me, she started coming, in my lap, in a room full of people.

  Her head dropped against my shoulder, her warm breath brushing the side of my throat, her soft cries ringing in my ears.

  I slid my hand into her hair and turned my head so my mouth was at her ear. “I want you, Willa, so damn bad.”

  She lifted her head slowly, her hand cupping the side of my face, her thumb sliding over my cheek, just above my beard, and pressed her mouth to mine. “Take me home and fuck me, Jude,” she said against my lips.

  That’s all I needed to hear. I stood, lifted her to her feet and took her hand, leading her out the back to collect her things.

  Fifteen minutes later, she had changed her clothes and was on the back of my bike, wrapped around me.

  I headed for home.

  Willa

  The anticipation fizzing through my veins had me trembling as we neared the brownstone. My arms were wound around Jude’s waist, my fingers fisted in his t-shirt above his abs. The smell of motor oil and the leather of his jacket filled my head, making me dizzy from wanting him.

  Jude pulled up in front of the house and turned his bike off. His big hands came down on top of mine, cool from the ride, one of his thumbs sliding over the inside of my wrist. “Tilly?”

  “She’s spending the night at Fay’s.” She was helping me out while I worked nights.

  He gave my wrist a squeeze. “You need to let go so I can get off the bike, beautiful.”

  His voice was rougher than I’d ever heard it, tight, like he was trying to hang onto his control. I didn’t want him to. I’d had men pawing at me all night. I’d worked two shifts. I was tired, and as soon as I’d seen Jude, something had shifted inside me. I’d needed him more than my next breath; needed his strength, his goodness, his solid presence—I’d needed those big capable hands on me.

  I needed him to wash everything away.

  I was still on the bike, hadn’t moved, and I opened my hand against his tight stomach, rubbing my forehead against his broad back. He’d seen me struggle—with my life, with my niece—and I hated that he might see me as weak or breakable. I needed him to know that wasn’t me; that pathetic woman, she wasn’t me. For some reason, I couldn’t look at him when I said this, needed him not to see my face, my eyes, when I told him what I needed. “I don’t need you to treat me like I’m fragile. I don’t need you to play the good guy, Jude. Tonight…just for tonight, I want the guy who rappels from buildings, who chases bad guys. I don’t need careful and I don’t need nice.”

  His long broad fingers, that had already warmed up, flexed around my wrist again. “If you think what’s about to happen between us could ever be as insignificant a word as nice, then, babe, you haven’t been paying attention. What I’m about to do to you isn’t going to be nice, or gentle, or sweet. It’s going to be sweaty and dirty. I’m gonna do all the things I’ve been wanting to do since I laid eyes on you, understand?”

  I shivered, and he had to feel it since I was still plastered against his back.

  “Off, Willa. Now.”

  His voice was hard, an order, and that made me shiver as well. I did as he said and waited while he kicked down the stand and swung off. Then he walked straight at me. One of his hands pressed against my lower back, sliding up under my hair to lightly grip the back of my neck.

  “My place,” he said.

  I was more than happy with that. It was closer and after what had happened at the club, I needed him. Between my thighs ached and throbbed, my panties damp with need, and the ride, pressed against all that insane strength and size, had only made it worse.

  He unlocked the door and shoved it open. I crossed the threshold as the light flicked on. The door slammed shut, then he was there, against my back, walking me forward, crowding me, pressing my front against the wall. His beard tickled my neck when his mouth went to my ear.

  “I’ve been hard for you for weeks, beautiful, out of my mind with wanting inside you. And after tonight, what you did, the way you got off in my lap in that room full of people, I’m fucking starved for you.” He ground his erection against my ass. “So damn hard I can’t think straight, so no, you won’t be getting nice tonight, not by a long shot.”

  His hands went to the front of my jeans and he tore them open, shoving them and my panties down my legs. I just managed to step out of them when his hand went to the small of my back, holding me where I was, and he dropped to his knees behind me. A second later, both hands went to my hips and yanked me back, my upper body dropping forward, and he buried his face against my ass with a rough growl.

  His hot tongue slicked through the center of my pussy and a low moan tore from me. Christ, one swipe of his tongue and I was close to coming again. That wasn’t normal, that didn’t happen to me, but our need for each other had built to such a peak that everything felt hotter, more intense, desperate.

  He tapped one of my ankles and I automatically stepped out, opening wider for him, and he growled again. His whiskers prickled, tickled my bare flesh, his tongue, hot and slick, lapping at me. His hand came up between my legs, his fingers joining in. Rough, warm skin, spreading me, grazing my clit.

  I blew up. I should be embarrassed by how fast I came, how easily he had me undone, but I didn’t care, I just wanted more of him. I wanted him inside me.

  He stood, turned me around, and looked down at me. “Knew you’d be sweet. The reality doesn’t even come close.” Then he picked me up and swung me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing.

  I squealed, a bubble of laughter breaking free. One of his hands came down on my bare ass as he walked to his room, hard enough I knew it would leave a mark. That just turned me on more.

  He lowered me down onto his bed, and I lifted to my elbows, watching as Jude stripped out of his clothes.

  “Top off,” he said, after he shrugged out of his jacket, yanked off his t-shirt, and toed off his boots. I ate up every hard inch of him, his wide chest, thick waist, and abs roped with muscle. Just the sight of his chest had the pulse between my thighs intensifying all over again, and I barely resisted dropping a hand to my pussy.

  His hands dropped to the button of his jeans, then they were open, and he shoved them down and off. The black boxer briefs he was wearing couldn’t hide his monster erection. It strained the fabric and my mouth actually watered, my legs falling apart all on their own in anticipation.

  Jude cursed and my eyes shot up to his. His nostrils flared before he shoved his underwear down. He came down on top of me, his big body covering mine; hot, smooth skin, coarse chest hair. His scent surrounded me and my legs opened wider to accommodate the size of him. I felt feminine under him, small. I was small compared to him.

  His mouth came down on mine, tongue thrusting roughly against mine. No finesse, no teasing, just pure need. Then his fingers were in my hair, fisting, tilting my head the way he wanted it, taking the kiss deeper. I had one leg curled high on his back, the other across the backs of his solid thighs, and I used his body as leverage, lifting my hips, closing the small distance, and ground against him.

  He tore his mouth from mine and one of his hands slid down between my breasts and over my belly as he dipped his head and sucked a nipple into his scalding hot mouth, sucking hard. I arched, rolling up against him again, close to losing my mind.

  I didn’t think it could get much better, and then he slid one thick finger through my slick folds and pushed it inside.

  “Fuck!” I cried. He surrounded me, overwhelmed me, had me thrashing beneath him, and he hadn’t even fucked me yet.

  He swirled his tongue around my aching nipple and lifted his head, looking down at me. “So tight, baby.”

  He watched me as he worked me with that thick finger, not looking away when he slid in a second, dark fire in his eyes as I whimpered and squirmed. He was readying me for him. I’d only gotten a glimpse of his cock before he came down on top of me, but I could feel it digging into my thigh, had rubbed up against it more than once
, and he was bigger than any guy I’d ever been with.

  Our size difference was substantial, and honestly, that turned me on as well.

  I’d had to be responsible, in charge, taking care of things I hadn’t been ready for, most of my life. I liked that with Jude, it didn’t have to be. He took charge, and I liked it more than I thought I would. It was crazy, but giving him that power, it was empowering.

  I lifted a hand, and gripped the side of his thick throat, my breathing nothing but needy pants now, my nerve endings sparking, that feeling, that edge, building again.

  “Please, Jude, now.”

  The muscle in his jaw jumped. “I’m getting you ready, baby. You’re small, don’t wanna hurt you.”

  I was wetter than I could ever remember being, already close to coming again. I was ready, more than ready. “Can you feel how much I want you, need you? I’m ready, God, so ready.”

  He cursed, and his free hand shot out, yanking open the bedside drawer, and he pulled out a condom. His fingers slid out of me, and I shuddered, my hips rolling all on their own. I felt so damn empty. I watched as he rolled the latex on his hard cock, then fist it. I spread wider for him and then the fat head was at my opening, and we were both panting as he started to push inside.

  We both groaned as he got deeper, stretched me wider.

  “Fuck. Fuck, beautiful. I’m gonna hurt you.” He started to shake. He was resting on his elbows above me and his biceps started jumping. “I want to fuck you so hard, Willa, but I need to warm you up more.”

  “I’m okay…”

  He pulled out carefully, and before I could protest further, rolled to his back, picked me up off the mattress, and draped me over him.

  “Like this,” he said. “I can’t go as deep like this, not until you’re ready.”

  My upper body was laying against his, his legs spread, and those big hands were on my thighs, holding them together as he slipped back inside me.

  I dropped my forehead to his chest on a moan as he tilted his hips, giving me a little at a time. I was so wet and turned on, I had to bite my lip when every move he made rubbed my clit against the base of his cock. Slowly, he worked that big cock deeper and deeper, until I could accommodate almost all of him.

  I wanted more, was ready for more, so I shoved my thighs open.

  His automatically came together and he slid all the way in.

  “Shit.” I didn’t recognize my own voice in that moment, didn’t recognize myself. I just knew I needed more of Jude, needed all of him. Planting my hands on his chest, I lifted myself up, and started to ride his massive body.

  Jude’s hands went to my hips, fingers digging into my flesh, his expression fierce. His hungry dark gaze moved over me, down to where he was sliding in and out of my pussy.

  Then that wasn’t enough either, and I swung my legs forward, feet going to either side of his waist, and planted my hands on his thighs so I could lean back. Giving him a view I hoped he wouldn’t forget in a hurry.

  “Christ," Jude barked, grabbing my ankles and thrusting up hard to meet me. “So hot, beautiful. So fucking hot.” We rode each other like that until one of his hands slid up my thigh, his thumb brushing my exposed clit.

  My inner walls spasmed and I clamped down on his cock, so damn hard. He cursed and sat up, one arm curling around my waist, bringing me down with force on his cock, and I cried out, coming so hard my ears were ringing and light was flashing behind my eyelids. I screamed his name and he shoved me to my back onto the mattress, came down on top of me, and started fucking me hard and fast, and so damn deep.

  His grunts filled my head, an agonized sound that was so damn sexy I didn’t think I’d ever get sick of hearing it. I was still pulsing helplessly around his cock when he buried his face against the side of my throat and groaned, rolling against me, thrusting, fucking me through his orgasm, setting off aftershocks that had me tearing at his back and whimpering.

  He rolled to his side as soon as his cock stopped pulsing inside me, taking me with him, holding me against his side, his monster chest pumping and eyes shut. I couldn’t take mine off him. His skin was hot, and he smelled like sex and leather. Everything about him was comforting, comfortable, and I couldn’t make myself move. I just wanted to stay there a little longer, rest for a little while.

  “Jesus fucking Christ,” he finally said, voice hoarse.

  “Yeah,” I said, my own voice less than steady.

  He sat up and my hand dropped away. He looked down at me. “That was… You’re fucking amazing.”

  “You’re not too bad yourself,” I said, warmth unfurling in my belly at the sexy grin on his handsome face.

  His hand moved to my stomach, then slid to my side, fingers curling around my waist. The hold felt possessive, tender, and suddenly, I found it hard to speak.

  He gave me a little squeeze. “I need to take care of this.”

  I nodded mutely as he got up and headed to the bathroom to get rid of the condom. I watched him walk away; it was impossible not to. His ass was as impressive as the rest of him, solid and muscled. I wanted to bite it, then roll him over and suck his beautiful cock.

  How I could still be thinking about sex after that, I had no idea, but there were things I hadn’t gotten to do, that I desperately wanted to.

  He walked back in, completely comfortable in his nakedness, which made sense since he was the most impressive male specimen I had ever seen. As much as I wanted to stay and take my fill of him, staying any longer could muddy things, make an already complicated situation even more so. So, I sat up and grabbed my shirt from the floor. I was about to slip it over my head when Jude pulled it from my fingers and tossed it across the room.

  I spun around, looking up at him.

  “We’ve got all night, right?”

  Heat spiraled low in my belly. “I thought maybe I should…that you might want me to…”

  He shook his head, eyes darkening. “You thought wrong. I’m not finished with you yet. That took the edge off; now, we can really have some fun.”

  My gaze dropped, and his cock was hard again. I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry. “I’m sure I could spare you a little more time.”

  He grinned and it was sinister as fuck, and so damn hot.

  “Jude…”

  He lifted me up then tossed me back in the middle of the bed. “Time for round two, beautiful.”

  14

  Willa

  I woke to dusky light coming through the curtains and a hot warm body wrapped around me. I glanced at the clock by the bed. 5:30 a.m. I’d have to leave soon, I needed to be home before Tilly came over from Fay’s to get ready for school.

  I still had about an hour, though.

  Jude and I had had sex twice more after that first time, both times just as mind-blowing. My muscles ached in the best way, and there was a steady pulse between my thighs. I wanted him again one more time before I left.

  With everything going on, I couldn’t afford to risk another night with Jude, couldn’t risk letting him get too close. I had no idea how Trent would react. The last thing I wanted was to antagonize him when he was already so unpredictable.

  I wasn’t stupid, I knew Jude was more than capable of dealing with my lowlife brother-in-law, but I couldn’t predict what Trent would do if that happened. I wouldn’t put Tilly at risk like that.

  He was at his most dangerous when he was backed into a corner, and as it was, I had no proof of anything. It was his word against mine. All that telling Jude would achieve would be making Trent angrier. The creep wasn’t above using his own daughter to make me pay, to get his way. And not even Jude’s outrage could stop Trent if he decided to force his way back into Tilly’s life.

  If I went after him without proof, or some concrete way to get him out of our lives for good, that’s exactly what he’d do, and he’d make our lives a living hell. His hate for me outweighed his love for his own daughter, and that made Tilly an obvious pawn. I needed a way to get him to back off. So we could
disappear—for good this time. Somewhere he would never find us.

  I looked back at Jude. I had the next hour to take what I wanted for myself, then I had to go back to my life, to Trent, to Stilettos, to protecting my niece.

  Turning in his arms, I gave his broad shoulder a gentle push and he grumbled in his sleep and rolled to his back. I grinned. He looked like a giant hibernating beer. I pulled the sheet back and took in all that was Jude Wayland, locking it away in my memories.

  I knew without doubt I would never meet another man like him. The kind of man, that in another life, if I was another woman, I would never have walked away from.

  But I’d made a promise to Rebecca and I needed to get away from Trent. I couldn’t stay, even if I wanted to.

  One of Jude’s arms lifted over his head, the other resting on the hard, corrugated planes of his abs. For the first time, I got a good look at the ink on his forearm. “Serve and protect” was in block lettering and below it was a stylized K and L, looped together with curls and swirls. The serve and protect was so Jude.

  I wondered what the other letters stood for as I dropped my gaze to his solid thighs. They were dusted in dark hair, and his cock was resting against one of them, semi-hard.

  I didn’t hesitate. I climbed onto that big, hot-skinned body, and dragged my nose over his abs, drawing in his scent, letting my hair trail after me as I kissed my way down.

  He stirred, and I nudged his cock with my lips, tongue darting out to taste him. One of his legs moved and I glanced up. His eyes were still closed. I licked the head of his cock again, and it hardened further. I watched him as I did this, grinning to myself when his eyelids popped open and he looked down.

  As soon as I had his sleepy brown eyes on me, I took him into my mouth, sucking him to the back of my throat.

  His eyes widened, and he made a hoarse kind of gasping sound. “Willa…Christ.”