Staking His Claim

by Winter Sloane

  “I’m not going to ask you again,” he said. Ryker set her long hair aside to plant a kiss on the back of her neck that sent tingles down her spine. “When I want something real bad, I usually go for it, but with you, I’ve been careful.”

  “I know.” She clasped his fingers in hers.

  Ryker had been holding back all these years, terrified he’d become his brother and end up hurting her. He also didn’t want her to feel trapped into a life she never chose, except this time, she made her own decisions. She understood him a lot better now.

  “There’s no need to hold back anymore,” she told him. “I’m yours. I’ve always been yours.”

  “Mine,” he said, turning her so she faced him. He repeated the word, this time with more certainty, as if it were fact.

  He edged her towards the closest wall. Sky froze, unprepared for what he did next. Ryker knelt in front of her, but there was no mistaking who was the one in control here.

  “Lift up your shirt,” he ordered.

  She shivered, then did as he asked and pulled up her favorite sleeping shirt—which was one of his old shirts. She blushed. At this angle, he could see her bare breasts and how her nipples pebbled for him.

  Sky sucked in a breath as he reached for the hem of her panties and yanked them down, exposing her cunt. Sky was relieved she had shaved down there two days ago. Never before had she felt so exposed, or so sexy. Her experience with sex was limited—Rodney pumping in and out of her in the dark before exploding into the condom and leaving her completely unsatisfied. Sex had been uninteresting to her, scary even.

  With Ryker, she felt like he’d introduce her to a whole new world of pleasure.

  “Such a pretty pussy. I’ve dreamt of this, of eating you up, hearing your sweet cries and wondering how you’d taste.”

  God, even his mere words turned her on. She parted her legs wider for him, allowing him further access. He gripped her thighs firmly, before leaning in close enough so his day-old stubble brushed against her smoothly shaved mound. Then Ryker stuck out his tongue and flicked it over her clit.

  Sensation flooded her body as he closed his mouth over the sensitive bud and sucked on it. She gasped, eyes wide as he took his fill, licking and exploring her pussy lips with intense concentration on his face. God knew she’d fantasized about this, about Ryker between her legs, rendering her unable to think. Was she dreaming?

  Chapter Five

  Fuck, but the enticing taste of her exploded on Ryker’s tongue and he wanted more. He moved his hands, cupping the firm globes of her ass and gave them a squeeze. She moaned so softly, so sweetly above him that he wanted to wrangle more cries of pleasure from her.

  He sucked at her pussy lips, loving how easily she became wet for him. She speared her fingers through his hair, gripping it, but he didn’t mind if it was her. Ryker thrust his tongue into her slick folds, ran it back to her nub and used a bit of teeth to nip at it. He pushed one finger inside her at the same time. She gasped above him, breasts rising and falling as he licked away all her cum.

  Ryker stood back up, steadying her as she looked up at him with dilated pupils and half-parted lips. Unable to help himself, he took her mouth again, making her taste herself on his tongue. His dick thickened as she molded her soft, small body against his hard one.

  He pulled away, breathing harshly, knowing if this went any further, he’d fuck her against the wall and finally take that tight little pussy for himself.

  “Why did you stop?” she whispered, looking lost, unaware of her surroundings.

  It filled him with satisfaction that he was capable of disabling her senses, that she was only focused on him and him alone, as if the rest of the world didn’t matter.

  “Because if we continued, I won’t let you out of the house. You’re dangerous, always have been to me.”

  She swallowed. “You make me sound like some kind of threat.”

  He smiled. “When you’re around, I can’t focus on anything else. Only you matter. You have no idea what kind of effect you have on me, do you, sweetheart?” Ryker traced the swell of her kiss-swollen lips. “Tonight, you’ll become mine. For now, be patient.”

  She pouted cutely at him. “I’m one of those silly, needy women who has the hots for you.”

  He let out a growl and she widened her eyes, but he had to make his point. “There’s been no other women. It’s always been you.”

  Sky looked shaken. She shivered, but didn’t move away from him. She traced one muscled forearm and looked him right in the eye. “You mean that, don’t you? It’s embarrassing to admit—but I’m the same way.”

  Why he waited so long to make her his eluded him. He pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Come on. The faster we finish our business outside, the sooner I can put all my focus on making you scream for me.”

  Her cheeks and neck turned red. “Can you not talk like that when we head down to the restaurant?”

  “Suddenly so shy, Sky? No, I won’t hide my intentions, because sooner or later, the Familia’s going to find out that you’re my woman.”

  ****

  Ryker opened the door leading to Paolo’s for Sky. She flashed him a shy smile before walking inside. He watched her look around the restaurant, maybe looking out for changes over the two years she’d been gone. Today, she wore a sleeveless sky-blue dress.

  Initially, she’d wanted to pair the dress with a denim jacket to cover her scars, but he told her to leave it. To him, she was perfect the way she was. Sky didn’t need to hide anything from him.

  “Sky, that you? You’re back?” boomed Gino’s familiar voice from one of the tables.

  At this time of the day, past lunchtime, the restaurant had been emptied out. Paolo’s was Giovanni’s first business venture. Despite the fact the Severin Familia had expanded to other businesses over the years, they still conducted important meetings here.

  “Gino.” Sky’s entire face lit up as she gave him a hug.

  Despite knowing she looked at him like an uncle, Ryker growled softly under his breath. Most ordinary people would hesitate from walking up to a big, scarred, and salt-and-peppered old mafia thug like Gino but not his woman.

  “Are you here visiting? How long are you staying?” Gino asked as he came over. Some of the men Gino had been speaking to also greeted her. Sky flashed them a big-ass smile, and it struck Ryker she was in her element here.

  He remembered the days when she used to take up her favorite corner booth, doing schoolwork while waiting for him. Sky never seemed intimidated by the comings and goings of the Familia. She never asked him the specifics of his job, never judged. When he came home at the end of an exhausting day, there would always be a smile, a listening ear, and dinner ready.

  “Sky, I’ll go see Giovanni first,” he said, giving the back of her neck a squeeze. Gino’s green eyes twinkled. The older mafioso didn’t miss his possessive gesture, and neither would the other men there.

  Sky halted mid-conversation and gave him a sidelong glance. Unable to help himself, he stole another quick, deep kiss from her. She turned red like a tomato and gave him a playful shove.

  “Ryker, not in front of Uncle Gino,” she mumbled, looking cute all embarrassed like that.

  “Oh? When did this interesting development happen?” Gino asked, then rubbed at his jaw. “Are you here to ask for Giovanni’s blessing then?”

  “Yes,” he answered.

  “No,” Sky blurted, looking shocked. Then stared at him. “Wait. What?”

  He chuckled. “Among other things. I haven’t lied to you once, sweetheart. I’ve been patient, telling myself it doesn’t matter how miserable I was alone as long as you were happy. That’s not the case anymore. That fucker Rodney didn’t know he let go of a priceless treasure.”

  “Rodney? What did that good-for-nothing bum do?” Gino asked Sky with narrowed eyes.

  Sky glared at Ryker now. “You didn’t need to tell everyone about my personal problems.”

  “That’s what family is for, is
n’t it?” he said, slipping away. He smiled at the sound of Sky’s frustrated voice, explaining to Gino why she’d called him.

  Ryker nodded to Stefano and Roberto guarding the staircase that would lead to Giovanni’s office on the second floor. Both men were in their early forties but looked a lot younger. Giovanni was never without either of them when he headed out.

  “Finally made your move?” Stefano asked.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Ryker answered mildly.

  Roberto snorted. “When you first brought her here you immediately announced that anyone who so much lays a finger on her, loses their hand. Doesn’t take a goddam genius to figure out she’s yours.”

  Ryker had to admit he might have been overprotective of Sky in the past. Hell, even now he instantly entered a murderous rage whenever some other man would try to lay a claim on what rightfully belonged to him. Giovanni and Gino might be exceptions because they saw her as family, but anyone else who so much as flirted with his woman had it coming.

  Ryker made his way to Giovanni’s office. Despite knowing Giovanni always kept his door open to anyone in the Familia, he knocked. Giovanni looked up from his laptop.

  “What happened? Did the deal with the Petrov family go south?” Giovanni asked him as he settled on the chair in front of the desk.

  Ryker shook his head and pulled out a file from his inner jacket pocket. “Like I said, that deal’s been sealed yesterday. I came here to drop the signed papers off.”

  Giovanni raised one eyebrow. “That’s all? We’re not going to talk about why my adoptive daughter is back in the city?”

  Ryker blew out a breath. Of course Giovanni would know. “Did you see us getting out of my car from your window?”

  Giovanni chuckled. “You know me better than that, boy.”

  He growled. Giovanni knew he hated it when he called him “boy”. “You’ve been keeping tabs on her, I know, but not to this extent.”

  Giovanni’s expression turned serious. “You gave her space, distanced yourself from her all these years. That rule doesn’t apply to me.”

  Giovanni once told him that Sky reminded him of the daughter he’d lost in a violent shoot-out. But over the years, despite his attempts to try to give Sky a normal life far away from the mafia, her relationship with Giovanni only deepened. Ryker wouldn’t deny her that. Ryker knew the importance of adoptive family. He trusted every single member of the Familia, and they had his back even if not a single drop of Severin blood ran in his veins.

  “So, tell me,” Giovanni pressed on. “How long is she staying, or is it a temporary move?”

  Ryker didn't miss Giovanni’s hopeful tone. It was rare for Giovanni, a man who was usually stoic and unreadable during public appearances and business deals, to show any emotion.

  “She’ll be here, with me. Permanently.” Ryker placed an emphasis on the last word. Back then, both of them agreed it would be better if Sky experienced a life far from the Familia. That changed when he realized she’d been miserable, cut off from him and the rest of them.

  “I see. Have you come to ask for my blessings then?”

  He scowled. “She’s mine. Sky’s my woman, and she’ll be my wife whether you agree or not.”

  A gasp came from the doorway, and he turned his head to see Sky’s wide-eyed look.

  “S-should I come back another time?” she asked Giovanni, blushing furiously. She shot him a glare as he rose from his seat.

  “Nope, go ahead. We’re done. I’ll be waiting downstairs, sweetheart.”

  “Don’t make plans without telling me,” she said in a low voice as he passed her by.

  He grabbed her shoulder pushed her against the wall, pinning her hands above her head. She didn’t fight him at all as he took what was rightfully his. Ryker kissed her the way he’d soon fuck her, deep and unapologetic, not caring that Giovanni watched.

  The scent of her engulfed him, drowned him, making his dick rise up painfully against his jeans. Being parted from her for a couple of moments already made him miss her so damn much. Those years they’d been apart felt such a waste. Yet part of him didn’t regret sending her away or rejecting her confession, not when she had that slim chance to find and build a life beyond what he could offer.

  “Ryker,” she began, slightly out of breath when he pulled away. She pouted, batting him away, clearly embarrassed. “Giovanni can see us. What would he think?”

  “Hmm. It’s not an issue.”

  She crossed her arms and cutely continued to glower at him.

  Giovanni let out a chuckle from behind his desk. “Go away, Ryker. It’s been a while since Sky and I had a nice chat. If it were another man who did that in front of me, they’d be dead by now.”

  “I’ll see you soon,” he told Sky, reaching out to run his fingers through her silken hair. He wanted to fist those strands, jerk her close and put his hands all over her tempting slender body. Leave his marks all over her. To bend her over and finally sink his dick into her sweet pussy.

  Patience, he told himself.

  “Okay,” she whispered.

  He could feel her gaze on him as he descended the staircase, whistling to himself. Ryker had years of filthy ideas stored in his head of what he’d do to her, and he couldn’t wait to make those dirty fantasies a reality.

  Chapter Six

  “Did you enjoy your talk with Giovanni?” Ryker asked on their way home.

  Sky fidgeted with her fingers on her lap and sighed. She told him the truth. “He spent half the time giving me a lecture. It’s kind of nice though.”

  “Nice?” Ryker prodded.

  She shook her head. The moment she walked into Paolo’s and started speaking to Gino, Giovanni, and the other Familia members, it felt like she had finally come home. Sky had missed everyone so much.

  She answered Ryker. “To have someone who cares. When I moved into a new city, I felt so alone. I couldn’t talk to anyone.”

  At a red stoplight, Ryker reached for her hand to give it a squeeze. “And the other half of the time?”

  Sky blew out a breath, liking the feel of Ryker’s big, inked fingers over her smaller ones. “We talked about you, about us.”

  It felt odd, calling them “us” and wonderful at the same time.

  The light changed to green, and Ryker put his hand back on the wheel. “Oh? Giovanni and you gossiping about me couldn’t be good.”

  “He asked me if I was certain, because you’re a man who never backs down.”

  “What did you tell him?”

  “That you’ve also been the only man I ever wanted.”

  “Good. Then there’s nothing more to talk about.”

  The rest of the drive turned out to be a silent one, but she didn’t mind. She missed those old times Ryker took her on a drive, with no direction in mind. They finally returned to the apartment.

  “We should have gotten some dinner to take home from Paolo’s, and I don’t think we have anything in the fridge. Should we order from somewhere?” she asked as he opened the door.

  “I’m in the mood for something else other than food.”

  Her heart thumped as Ryker locked the door behind her. Suddenly, she no longer cared about her physical hunger. She blushed, unable to forget the image of Ryker kneeling in front of her that morning, prying her legs apart and thrusting that talented tongue into her pussy.

  Just one look from him tightened her nipples and made her wet between the legs.

  She approached him this time around, planting one hand over his massive chest. He watched her like a hungry wolf, not stopping her from lifting the hem of his shirt. She peeled it off, letting out a breath at the work of art that decorated his body. Over the stars across his chest, right over his heart was ink she’d never seen before.

  Sky gasped, running her fingers over her name. He clasped her fingers, blowing at them, before giving them a kiss.

  “You’d tattoo my name permanently into your skin?” she whispered.

  “
Why wouldn’t I? You’re the most important thing to me.” He maneuvered her into the living room area, until the backs of her legs brushed the couch. “I want you bare.”

  She didn’t stop him for reaching out for the zipper of her dress at the back. Usually, she turned off the lights during sex, but with him, she wasn’t the least bit conscious of her scars. Not anymore. The fabric slipped from her skin, pooling at her feet until she stood in front of him only in her underwear. She wore her best ones, matching black lace bra and a G-string, knowing tonight would be a game changer.

  Ryker’s appreciative growl sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine.

  “Take off your bra.” Ryker settled on the couch, reminding her of some proud, savage, barbarian king.

  She hastily undid the hook, letting it fall to the ground. Cool wind caressed her breasts, her hardening nipples. He tugged her close so she ended up straddling him. Seated like this, with her knees apart, she couldn’t close her legs, and was completely exposed to his gaze. Sky didn’t mind. Ryker was the only man she trusted fully, who knew about her dark secrets and her vulnerabilities.

  Blushing, she circled her arms around his neck. He closed in for a searing kiss, thrusting his tongue down her throat. She sucked on it, feeling the press of his straining cock, still hidden inside the denim of his jeans. With his big, warm body against hers, Sky was aware of nothing else but the two of them. Finally, she thought. She’d been dreaming of this moment since forever.

  Ryker planted more kisses down the side of her neck, taking one nipple into his mouth and grazing it with his teeth. She shuddered as he slipped two fingers past the sheer fabric and began rubbing at her clit. Sky buckled against him, sinking her nails into his shoulders. Ryker bit down, leaving his teeth mark on her left breast.

  “God,” she whispered as he gripped a handful of her panties and shredded it. Ryker tossed the torn fabric on the ground.

  “Fuck, baby. I want to buy more sexy lingerie to dress you in.”