Ash (Hounds of Hellfire MC #5)

Chapter 10

10

ASH

“ G ood morning, baby girl,” I murmured as I pulled Nora deeper into my body and put my face in her neck to get my fill of her coffee and cinnamon scent.

Then I slid my hand up into her silky, fiery red strands and pulled her hair back to take her mouth in a deep kiss.

“Best way to wake up ever,” she said with a sigh.

I turned her onto her back and covered her body with mine before growling, “If you think this is the best, then I’m not doing my job right, baby girl.”

After another hour, I was confident I’d proved my point when I had to carry her exhausted, limp body into the shower.

“Good gravy,” she muttered when I carried her out of the shower and admired the red handprints on her tight ass while I dried her off. “I have to work today, and you’ve just sapped me of all my energy.”

Laughing, I placed a kiss on her back, then turned her around and kissed her stomach—silently hoping it would be growing big and round soon. When my mouth roamed lower, she grabbed my head and yanked. “Stay away from my flower, you big brute. It needs a break.”

I roared with laughter, almost falling on my ass before I finally caught my breath and stood. “I don’t think you can call it a flower anymore, baby girl. Isn’t that what they call a virgin pussy?”

Her cheeks turned pink, and she shrugged.

“How about you call it Eli’s favorite snack?”

Nora huffed and rolled her eyes, then grinned. “Maybe when you officially meet my mother.”

Damn, she was adorable. I loved her so fucking much and almost told her right then, but I was hoping to say the words for the first time when I had her property patch to give her. It was supposed to be done tomorrow, so I wouldn’t have to wait long.

“Come on, baby girl. Let’s get you ready for work. Got to meet with Ace in an hour anyway.”

“Ace?” she repeated curiously.

She didn’t ask for more details, knowing I might not be able to tell her anything.

“You’re fucking perfect, know that?”

She beamed at me in the mirror as she brushed her hair.

“Nothin’ all that exciting. We’re looking at buying some local real estate and possibly a couple of businesses. Money guy and the lawman got to do the due diligence first.”

Nora giggled. “I like that. Can I call you ‘the lawman’?”

“You can call me your lawman, baby girl. But be prepared to be fucked up against the nearest wall.”

“Hmm, I’ll keep that in mind.”

I grinned, then swatted her ass, making her hiss from the sting on her tender flesh. It made me hard as fuck, so I hurried out to our bedroom, knowing we both needed to get ready for the day.

I walked into the large closet I’d thought was overkill when I bought the house but now was glad I had it when I saw Nora’s reaction. After yanking on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, I shrugged on my cut and swaggered back into the bedroom.

Nora was staring at the bed, frowning.

“What’s up, baby girl?”

“Well…um, I brought my uniform last night because I knew I had to work today.”

“Good thinking. So what’s got your pretty face lookin’ like you swallowed a lemon, darlin’?”

As expected, a smile broke out on her face when I tossed out my Texas accent.

“You have to talk to my mom like that, Eli,” she told me in a fit of giggles. “It will kill her that the smooth-talking, rich son of a Texas senator isn’t everything she wants you to be.”

I chuckled, then circled her waist with my arm and drew her back against my chest so I could place little kisses on her neck and shoulder while inhaling her delicious scent.

“Back up, baby girl. What were you thinkin’ about when I came out of the closet?”

“Just that I should have thought to bring more clothes. I’m not ready to go home and face my mom.”

I turned her around slowly and cupped her face in my palms. “First, you don’t have to go home until you’re ready. Is that clear? Second, you need anything, I’ll buy it for you,” I told her, giving her a look that shut her up when she opened her mouth to argue. “Get used to me spoiling you, baby girl. I intend to give you everything.”

Her face had gone soft, and she went up on her tiptoes to give me a sweet kiss. “I don’t need anything but you, Eli.”

I brushed my mouth over hers before releasing her and walking over to my dresser to grab my keys and wallet. “Get dressed, baby girl. Gonna make you some breakfast.”

The French toast was almost done when she padded into the kitchen. I stretched out my arm, and she walked straight to me so I could hold her close while I flipped the bread.

“Your kitchen is amazing,” she said with a blissful sigh. I glanced down to see her looking around with a dreamy expression.

“Glad you like it, baby girl. But feel free to change anything you want.” I had to let her go to scoop the toast out of the pan and put it on plates, so I didn’t notice her stunned expression until I’d set them on the table and turned around.

“What?”

Nora blinked a few times, then brushed her hair over her shoulder and licked her lips.

“Baby girl,” I growled. “You will never make it to work if you keep licking your lips like that. You know it turns me the fuck on.”

She swallowed hard and squeezed her thighs together, making me groan. I forced myself to turn away and grab the butter and syrup.

“You want me to make changes?” she asked softly when I stepped out of the walk-in pantry.

“Of course,” I replied without thinking as I set the syrup on the table.

“To your house?”

Her tone was oddly insistent, so I turned around and looked at her, crossing my arms over my chest. “It’s your house, too, baby girl. So do whatever you want with it.”

She stared at me with her mouth open and her blue eyes round as saucers. “D-d-did…did you just ask me to move in with you?” she sputtered.

I laughed, and she glared at me. “No, baby girl. I’m not asking.”

“Oh.” Her shoulders drooped, and she looked sad and confused at the same time.

“C’mere, Nora,” I ordered, holding out my hand.

She cautiously walked toward me, and when she was close enough, I reached out and grabbed her shirt, yanking her up against me. “Wasn’t asking because it’s a done deal, baby girl. You are moving in with me.”

Her skin flushed, and she smiled brightly. “I should probably put up a fight and tell you that you can’t order me around.”

“But…?”

“But I don’t want to,” she yelled before throwing her arms around me and peppering my face with kisses.

It was another hour before we got out the door.

Feeling smug and happy, I strolled into the clubhouse less than ten minutes later. Ace looked up when I entered his office and frowned. “Well, don’t you look like a man who spent the night fucking his woman?”

“Jealous?” I snarked.

Ace looked at his desk and picked up a sheaf of papers, and I almost didn’t hear him when he muttered, “Yes.”

Curiously, I inquired, “Of the fucking or the girl?”

He sighed. “Both, I guess.”

“I get it, man.”

“Yeah. Okay, enough of this bullshit, we’ve got work to do.”

We went through potential properties for a couple of hours, then headed to King’s office to give him our recommendations.

Before we reached his door, my cell vibrated. I checked the caller ID and frowned when I saw a number that looked familiar, but I didn’t recognize. I let it go to voicemail, but then I got a text alert before the number called back again.

Unknown

It’s Mark. ANSWER!

I immediately hit the accept button, my heart racing because this could only be about Nora.

“Mark?”

“Fucking hell, Ash! They came out of nowhere! I-I-tried to stop them!”

“Mark!” I shouted. “Calm the fuck down and tell me what’s going on!”

“They took Nora!”