17. Scarlet
Chapter 17
Scarlet
Metal warms under my palm as I look down the black barrel of my gun. The force of my shot reverberates up my arms and into my body as the loud crack echoes through the room, dulled by my earmuffs.
After waking up at Matthias’s place, I knew I needed to blow off steam, or I’d hunt him down and massacre him. I’d been alone, hungover, wearing only his freaking shirt. The thing engulfed me like a dress, and I only had fuzzy memories of him changing me into it.
The graze of his rough knuckles, the prickle of his stubble against my neck. A shiver rolls through me, and I fire off three more perfect shots, hitting the target dead in the center.
He left a freaking note explaining he had to leave early for work and I shouldn’t worry. He contacted my office to let them know I wouldn’t be in. The anger sizzling in my veins right now is only a shadow of what I felt reading that note. The audacity to call my job. He may own the company, but I didn’t need my boss thinking I’m sleeping with him. I ignore the reasons I was drinking in the first place, shoving our kiss into the recesses of my mind and lining up my next shot.
I woke up to their doctor standing over me, IV in hand. The man had fear in his eyes, like if I didn’t let him proceed, he was the one who would suffer the consequences.
The note on the nightstand had me grinding my teeth.
Don’t be stubborn, Little Sparrow.
The IV drip did wonders for my aching head, and I hated to admit I was a little bit grateful Matthias had thought ahead. It didn’t last long when I had to do the walk of shame and Oliver was already standing outside waiting for me. He was smart enough to look away after a death glare from me.
The shooting range is hot, the concrete building meant to keep bullets in, but that means there’s barely any air circulation. I’d discarded my top hours ago, leaving me in just my sports bra and leggings. There’s no one here; I always rent out the entire place for the duration of my stay. I don’t think anyone’s currently plotting to kill me, but the odds aren’t zero. Not when my spot in the Order of Saints is still up for grabs. Of course, the most guaranteed way to take over for my family is to marry me, but if I’m dead, then there’s at least a spot to compete for. At this point, I may have to beg Damon to open up a few more spots just to take the pressure off me.
I reload my gun, the magazine clicking in place before lifting it again. My shoulders ache from the repeated motion, but I’m happy for the pain. It reminds me that even though it hurts, my body’s strong. Breathing in deeply, I let it out slowly and squeeze the trigger.
My shot goes a little too far to the right, and I have to recenter myself. Back straight, body loose but engaged, I focus down the barrel to where I want to hit.
“You look hot like that.”
I swing to the side, gun forward pointed directly at a smiling Matthias’s face.
“Are you kidding me! I could have killed you.”
He grips my hand still holding the gun at his chest and lowers it to my side. “Nah, you wouldn’t do that.”
Matthias steps into me, his heat radiating off him, and my already pounding heart feels like it’s about to crack through my rib cage. He slides his finger over my jaw and runs his thumb across my lip. “Or maybe you would?”
“Don’t try me.” One wrist caught in his, I push the other one against his chest, but he doesn’t budge.
Smirking down at me, he says, “What? Is that how you treat the guy who came to rescue you last night?”
His heartbeat drums into my palm, the tempo rapidly increasing the longer we stand here. I search between his eyes, but there are no other signs of what he may be feeling.
My voice is too soft when I ask, “Why didn’t Oliver just take me home?”
The muscle in his jaw visibly ticks, and his fingers tighten before releasing. “I wasn’t about to let that happen.”
A thrill rolls down my spine, causing me to shiver. There’s something in the way he says it that has my brain short-circuiting.
I pause, unable to respond. His chest is twice as wide as mine, taking up my line of sight. Another crisp black shirt, black belt, and matching black leather shoes. I follow the line of his shoulder down to where his thick fingers wrap around my wrist, overlapping, making it look fragile in his touch, but it’s not worry that’s curling low and warming between my thighs.
“Why are you here?” Cutting off my thoughts, I beat down the growing heat rapidly filling my stomach and narrow my eyes at him.
Matthias steps closer until there’s barely an inch between us. He’s so close I can make out the specks of gold in his deep brown eyes.
He leans in, and his breath fans over my lips as he says, “Checking on you.”
“Why?” I scrunch up my nose.
He tilts his head slightly. “Do you remember what you asked for last night?”
“No.” I swallow, my throat thick. The air is charged around us, blocking out all other noise. The heartbeat under my palm sets the pace for mine. Suddenly, I don’t care about anything other than feeling his lips on mine.
“Let me remind you.” He leans in, closing the distance between our mouths, and I don’t fight the pull of his kiss. Embers he stoked the other night flame to life, like they’ve been waiting for this. For him.
His fingers trail up to my side, curling around the dip in my waist and holding me firmly in place. His thumb stroked the bottom edge of my sports bra until I’m close to begging for his touch.
He breaks the kiss, moving to my neck. My toes curl, and a moan escapes my throat as he runs his tongue up my sensitive skin. He groans low in his throat and does it again, shooting shivers down my spine.
“I’m sweaty.”
I try to pull away with the last of my sanity, but his grip tightens, and he licks me again, this time delving his tongue into the nook of my collarbone.
He runs his teeth along the same path. “You’re delicious.”
“We’re in public,” I breathe out frantically.
He hums low, grabbing the gun from my hand and placing it out of reach. “I love that that’s your only resistance.”
Umm, no? I have a million reasons this isn’t a good idea. He’s playing some game with me I have to figure out before I get hurt?—
“Stop thinking so much.” He captures my lips, gripping my ass, and lifts me onto the counter, spreading my legs so he can stand between them. He’s supporting me with one hand banded around my back as he pushes one of my knees to the side until he can press the hard ridge of his cock against my core.
“We shouldn’t be doing this.”
“You’re right.” He kisses my neck as if he said nothing.
My grip tightens on his shirt as disappointment curls in my stomach, an ache blooming in my chest. Of course he agrees. It’s always been him to push me away.
“Look at me.”
My eyes meet his, and he searches my gaze.
“Whatever you’re thinking, you’re wrong.” He runs his nose along mine. “I want to be here.”
He grinds his hips against me, pressing his cock harder. “Feel that? If we keep going, I’m going to embarrass myself by coming in my pants again.”
I tilt my hips, creating the friction I need. His eyes close, and a shudder rolls through him. “You have no idea what you do to me.”
He makes me want to find out. Excitement mixed with nervousness tingles throughout my limbs. Whatever comes next, I’ll have never done it before. I should feel scared, but somehow, I feel safe in his hands.
“I’m going to make you come now, Scarlet.”
“What? Here?” My thighs try to pull together to release some of the tension, but he’s still holding them apart. Just his words make me want to beg. I shouldn’t be doing this.
“Okay—”
The words are not even out before he’s lowering my back to the cool counter. He leans down, kissing my stomach, circling my navel with his tongue as he slides my pants and underwear off at the same time. A shiver rolls through me, and I swallow hard, every sensation new to me.
He moves back, eyes hot on my core, and cold embarrassment snaps me back to reality.
“I...I can’t.”
“Yes, you can, baby. Just breathe.” He lowers his face, breath fanning over my core.
I dig my fingers into his scalp and tug at him until he looks at me.
“I’ve never done this before.”
A satisfied smile curves his lips, and his already hungry look turns ravenous. “I know.”
He licks up my seam without looking away, taking his time.
It feels like sin, lust, and temptation all wrapped into one, and I want him to do it again.
He doesn’t need me to ask, descending his hot mouth on me. He tips my hips back, delving his tongue deep into my core, and I scream out a moan.
He chuckles and bites my thigh. “I’ve pictured this countless times, but nothing I thought of had anything on the reality.”
I’m still trying to process that when he slips a finger inside of me. The stretch, combined with his mouth, has every thought melting from my mind.
The only thing left is the craving for more. Like there’s a deep yearning for something only he can give.
My fingers dig into his hair, and he groans, sliding a second finger into me.
The world swims as every muscle tightens in my body, as if he’s pulling invisible strings only he can see. My hips rock uncontrollably against his face, tilting with each thrust of his fingers. I’m so close it hurts, and he doesn’t disappoint, curving his fingers deeper and sucking hard on my clit until my release ricochets through me.
He doesn’t stop until he’s wrung every ounce of my orgasm out of me.
He pulls up, wiping his mouth lasciviously.
“Run along now, Little Sparrow. Or I won’t be responsible for what happens to you.”