21. Allie
Allie
T he shower helped.
I was no longer cold. I’d carefully washed my hair and cleaned my grazed palm. I’d put some cream on it later. Stepping out, I dried off, then looked in the mirror.
Oh crap . I winced, which tugged on my eye. The side of it was swollen. I poked at it. It felt tight and hot.
Stupid assholes.
A quiver ran through me. What if it had been worse? What if I’d been hurt badly or killed?
What would happen to Ollie?
My chest tightened. He needed me. I couldn’t leave him alone.
Shivers started and this time I couldn’t stop them. I wrapped the towel tightly around myself. Staggering out of my bathroom, I curled up on my bed. I’d be fine in a minute. I would get a grip on this.
I would.
I wasn’t sure how long I lay there, but then I heard the creak of my door. Caden uttered a low curse, then the next thing I knew, his big, strong body curled around mine.
I lifted my head off the pillow.
“Shh.” He wrapped his arm around me.
Finally, I felt warm.
I felt safe.
I snuggled into the pillows, into him, feeling secure under the heavy weight of his arm.
“You’re safe,” he murmured. “No one is going to hurt you.” His lips pressed to my hairline.
Only my brother had ever protected me. He’d been the only person I’d trusted to be there for me, no questions asked.
Now, I leaned into Caden’s strength.
Just for just a few minutes. Then I’d get up and get myself together.
Warm and cocooned, I drifted off to sleep.
I woke with a jerk, my pulse racing.
It took me a moment to orient myself and realize that I was in my bed.
Safe .
I was safe. I wasn’t stuck in the trunk of a car, or tied up in a dirty warehouse.
Blowing out a breath, I tried to shake off the disquiet. I knew my brain needed time to process what had happened, but I needed to remind myself that I was all right.
Slowly, I started to feel better. I noted that I was alone, although the pillow beside me held the dent of Caden’s head.
Now, every thought of my abduction was replaced with the memory of Caden’s big body curled around me as I drifted off to sleep.
Where was he? I glanced at the clock on my bedside table and saw that it was still the middle of the night. My room was draped in shadows. I knew he wouldn’t have left me.
Climbing out of the bed, I tightened the towel around my body and padded into the living room. I spotted his silhouette sitting on the couch, staring out the window.
Staring at what? Remembering what?
As soon as I took a step toward him, his head lifted.
“Allie? You okay?”
“Yes, I just woke up alone.” I crossed over to him, then without stopping to think, I straddled him and settled on his lap. I felt the flex of his powerful muscles beneath me, and his hands gripped my hips over the towel.
“That’s better.” I melted against him, my face pressed to his neck. He was so warm. His shirt was soft against my chest and the denim of his jeans was rough on my bare legs.
His hands moved up my back, stroking.
“Did you have a nightmare?” I asked.
“No, I don’t get nightmares.”
I lifted my head. “You just don’t sleep.”
I felt him shrug. “I’ve never needed much sleep.”
But the old memories still found him. I pressed a kiss to the tendon in his neck. “You said you had no regrets about your work in the military.”
“I don’t.” He sighed. “But the things I saw… There are some things no man should ever see.”
I rested my hands on his shoulders. He’d taken care of me tonight. Now, I wanted to take care of him. “Talk to me.”
One of his hands cupped my jaw firmly and tilted it up. In the dim light, I saw the glimmer of his dark gaze.
“I’ll never talk about it. Never give those things to you. The things I saw, did… I did them so you’d never have to know anything about them.”
My heart kicked. He was a damn hero. Doing the hard things to save others from suffering it.
“Okay.” My mouth hovered over his. “So, let’s chase those memories away. Make better ones.”
His hands slid down and clenched on my ass. “Allie…” He released a long breath. “You’ve had a rough night. It was intense, scary.”
“I’m not scared now. If anything, tonight put things into clear focus.” I touched my lips to his. “You always do the right thing and follow the rules. You protect and take care of everyone else. Now, it’s just the two of us. Taking care of each other.”
He made a low, masculine sound, then he was kissing me.
His tongue slid into my mouth, his lips molding mine. Sensation exploded through me.
I’d been holding onto everything so tightly for months. Since Sean and Sylvie had died, I’d been working hard trying to hold things together, trying to do right by Ollie.
This, right now…
This was all for me.
I whimpered, rocking on his body. I felt his hard cock beneath me.
Caden growled, and jerked me down, grinding me against his cock. “It’s taking everything I’ve got not to throw you down and get inside you as fast as possible.”
My belly clenched and I felt those words between my thighs. “So do it.”
“No.” He kissed me, then bit my bottom lip. “I’m not rushing this. It feels like I’ve wanted you forever.” His fingers dug into my ass. “Get that towel off.”
I licked my lips and nodded. I pulled the towel free and dropped it to the floor.
His gaze moved to my breasts and he released a low groan.
“They’re not very big,” I said.
“They’re perfect.” He cupped them, his thumbs flicking my nipples. “High, firm, and gorgeous. They suit you.”
On a moan, I arched into him.
“Look at these nipples.” Leaning forward, he closed his mouth over one hard nipple and sucked.
I cried out. Soon, I was writhing on his lap. His fingers clenched on my buttock and desire pumped through me.
“So pretty, Allie. Sometimes I watch you at work, on the cameras. I can’t take my eyes off you.”
I slid my hands into his dark hair and clenched, my belly squirming. I liked knowing that. I let one hand move down to his chest, kneading through the thin fabric of his shirt.
He groaned and his mouth moved to my other breast. “Once I’m inside you, I’m staying there. Deep. Nothing will drive me away.”
I moaned, undulating on him. His big hand slapped my ass, and I let out another moan.
I wanted his chest bare. I wanted skin. I tugged at his shirt, then slid my hands under it.
He yanked it over his head. He had a smattering of dark chest hair, bronze skin, and all those glorious muscles.
I dug my nails in and scratched a little.
He made a hungry sound.
His gaze was hooded, his lips parted. I saw it all etched on his face. Desire. Need. Want.
For me.
“Tell me what you want?” I panted.
“Everything, Allie. I want everything.”
I jerked against him, his swollen cock sliding across sensitive tissues. “And I want to give it to you.” A smile curled my lips. “This time, I will follow your orders.”
Delicious tension swirled between us.
“Unzip my pants, Allie.”
God . I was dripping and shaking with need. I fumbled between us and opened his jeans. He watched as I worked the zipper down.
“Fuck, Allie.” His chest heaved.
I shoved his black boxer briefs down and his sizable cock sprang free. I circled his thick girth. He was hot and pulsing. Oh, yes . I stroked him, and his body jerked beneath me. I ran my thumb over the moisture that beaded on the tip.
“ More .” His voice was guttural. “Harder.”
I stroked him again, panting.
“You keep looking at my cock like that, I won’t make it much longer.”
Desire felt like a blowtorch inside me. Then his fingers were between my legs. When he stroked my pussy, I cried out his name.
“You’re nice and wet for me.”
I ground against his fingers and met his gaze. “I feel like I’ve been wet for days. Any time I look at you.”
Something savage flared on his face. He slid a hand into the pocket of his jeans and pulled a condom. I watched, chest rising and falling, as he rolled it on. Nerves and need fluttered inside me and I rocked on his thighs.
“So impatient for my cock.”
“I am.”
He yanked me closer, and my hands dug into his shoulders. One of his hands was on my hip, the other reaching between us, guiding his cock between my legs.
I lowered my hips, letting him slide inside me. Our gazes locked, his hand rising to curl loosely around my throat.
Sinking lower, I moaned and arched my back. I felt so full. “God. God .”
“Fucking hell,” he gritted out. “You were made for me.”
“No,” I whispered. “Your cock was made for me.”
His hands came to my hips, pulling me down. I cried out, full of him. Full of Caden.
“Allie… Fuck . This feels different, better than anything I remember.”
Then he thrust up.
“ Caden .”
“Move, Allie. Ride me.”
I started to move. Up, down. “You feel so good.”
“You feel tight and sleek. Perfect.” His arms wrapped around me, locking us together.
I moved faster, each slide of his cock driving me out of my mind. I bounced on him, my ass hitting his hard thighs.
“You like my cock, Allie?”
“Yes.”
Then his hand moved between my thighs, found my clit. He thumbed it, teased it.
My whimpers filled my ears. “God, Caden. I’m… It’s…”
I rocked harder, taking him deep.
He pinched my clit and everything flew apart. Pleasure hit—hot, relentless. My movements turned jerky, my body shaking as the climax tore through me.
Caden bucked his hips up. “Goddammit, Allie… baby . You’re clenching so hard, pulling it out of me.”
I tugged on his hair, listening to the growly noises he made. “Don’t stop.”
Then he reared up.
My back hit the couch and Caden was on top of me. I held onto his sweat-slicked skin, watching the flex of his muscles as he slammed into me over and over.
“Come again,” he said on a low growl.
I didn’t think that was possible, but after two more thrusts of that thick cock, I let go.
There was no worry. No fear. No stress. Just Caden.
I cried out—part cry, part sob. Another smaller orgasm hit, pleasure rushing over me. Through it, my gaze stayed locked on his face.
He was so damn beautiful.
His thrusts turned wilder, then he stiffened. He groaned through his own release, pleasure suffusing his rugged features.
Then he dropped down, his face pressed to my neck.
We were both panting.
“Broody…” My voice was scratchy. “We nearly killed each other.”
He gave a low chuckle. God, I loved that sound.
“It was worth it,” he said.
I wrapped my arms around him. “It sure was.”