CHAPTER EIGHT
Theo
I don’t know what it is about my little sweetheart, but since we locked eyes in the alley, she’s all I can think about.
She consumes me in a way no woman ever has.
I don’t know if it’s love at first sight or lust, but I know one thing. I’m going to make her mine. I’m going to make her fall madly. Truly. Deeply.
I’m going to make her my wife.
“I don’t know why that asshole cheated on you, but his loss is my gain.”
“He was tired of waiting for me.”
“Waiting for you to what?”
Her cheeks turn a soft shade of pink. “It’s embarrassing.”
“Well, now, I’m intrigued.”
“You’ll think it sounds dumb. A lot of people do, but I’ve never…we never slept together.”
“How long were you together?”
“Two years.”
“And you never fucked him?”
“I’ve been saving myself for marriage.”
I cough. “Meaning you’re a virgin?”
She looks at her feet, at her pink-painted toes. I pinch her chin, forcing her to meet my gaze.
“There’s nothing embarrassing about your virginity. Do you know how fucking sexy that is?”
“When people find out, they treat me like there’s something wrong with me. Brookie used to tell me if I didn’t give in, Alex would find someone else. She was right, but I never imagined she was talking about herself.”
“None of those assholes deserve you.”
“And you do?”
“I guess that remains to be seen.”
“Sometimes I wish I’d just gotten it over with and picked some random guy. Someone at a bar or something.”
“Don’t wish for that.”
“Okay. Tell me then. When did you first…”
I snort. “I’m not telling you that.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’ll be horrified. I grew up in an entirely different world than you.”
“I’m sure I can handle it.”
“The truth is on my twelfth birthday one of my father’s men gifted me a hooker.”
Her nose scrunches up as soon as my words register.
“And that reaction is why I didn’t want to tell you.”
“That’s terrible.”
I burst out laughing. “I’m fucking with you. I was fifteen.”
“I’m not sure if that’s any better.”
“I don’t think that encounter really counts. I’m pretty sure it lasted about three seconds. Was over before I could even grope her tits.”
“Have you been with a lot of women?”
“Ten.”
“I don’t know if I believe you.”
“I don’t lie.”
“Hmm. Not even tiny ones.”
“Not when it matters.”
I tuck her dark hair behind her ear.
“Now would be a good time to kiss me if you’re going to.” She lets out a yawn.
“You tired?”
“Very.”
“I should drive you home, but I worry that pig will be waiting for you.”
“He probably is.”
“Does he do that a lot?”
“Sometimes.”
“Come on.” I pull her to her feet.
“Where are you taking me?”
“To bed.”
Her eyes widen at my statement.
“Not like that. Get your brain out of the gutter.”
“Ha. Ha.”
I take her to my room. “The bathroom is through there.” I point to the left. “There’s an extra toothbrush in the top right drawer. I’ll find you something to sleep in.”
“Cool.”
While she does her thing in the bathroom, I pull out one of my plain black gym tees and lay it at the foot of the bed. I remove my shirt and undo the button on my pants to change into a pair of shorts.
Ruby exits the bathroom, and electricity crackles between us. Her hungry gaze travels from my feet up to my torso. “There’s a t-shirt on the bed.”
“Thanks.” She snatches the shirt and retreats to the bathroom to change.
She comes back after I’ve changed and turned down the covers. Her in nothing but my tee that touches the tops of her thighs is one of the sexiest sights.
“I’ll sleep in the guest room.”
“I don’t want to put you out of your own bed.” She twists her fingers together and looks at me with pure longing.
“If I stay, I’m going to kiss you,” I warn.
“I’ve been waiting for you to try. If you don’t want to. If you aren’t into me, I understand.”
“The problem is, I’m afraid once I start, I won’t want to stop.”
“So don’t.”
“C’mere,” I call her to me as I sit on the edge of the bed.
She pads across the room softly, the hem of my shirt kissing the tops of her thighs as she walks toward me. She stops in front of me and I run my hands up the backs of her thighs, discovering she’s bare underneath.
“You’re trying to kill me,” I mutter, ushering her to stand closer, between my legs. “I don’t want to take advantage of you and have you wake up with regrets tomorrow.”
“A gangster with morals,” she whispers. “I know what I want and I want this. Tonight. Here with you.”
“You’ve saved yourself all this time. Why now?”
“I could die tomorrow. You said it yourself. Your life is dangerous, and I’ve never felt more alive than when I’m with you. Since the moment we met, something inside of me has lit up. This yearning. Desire. This need to be wanted by you.”
“Trust me. I want you. I’ve thought of nothing but you for the past twenty-four hours, but earlier you said that you’ve been saving yourself for marriage.
Tomorrow, once we’re married.” I give her a squeeze, the words leaving my mouth killing me because fuck I want her.
Want to feel her sweet heat wrapped around me as I sink inside her and claim all that’s left of her innocence.
Disappointment fills those doe eyes, and it breaks my heart.
“I’m not going to fuck you like some rando who picked you up at the bar.
I’m going to treat you right, Ruby. You have no reason to trust me.
We don’t know each other. Not yet, but I’m going to show you how a real man treats his woman. ”
Tears well up in the corners of her eyes.
“Why are you crying?”
“Because that’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
I pull her into my lap and stroke her cheek, pushing her dark tendrils back. I kiss her plump lips for the first time of many, tasting the saltiness of her tears.
Ruby opens the part of her lips to me, sliding her tongue against mine.
She tastes like the sweetest of sins. I know I’m going to corrupt her, but I’m too selfish to care.
Everything about her feels as though she was sent here by the heavens to be perfect for me.
Like Cupid shot an arrow through my heart, I know I’d sell my soul to the devil to keep her.
I’ve never wanted anything more than I want her right now.
Laying her back on my bed, I yank my shirt over her head, exposing her naked curves. Her beauty.
There’s never been anything more beautiful than the sight of her in this moment. Naked, willing, and oh so fucking ready to be claimed. To be owned by me.
Her dusty rose nipples pebble under my heated breath as I taste each one. She clutches the comforter with both hands as I loom over top of her, taking in every inch of her skin, debating where I want to kiss her next.
Her pouty mouth curves into a perfect O.
“Let me make you feel good. Let me cherish you.” I slide a palm up her inner thigh, teasing her soft skin.
“Please,” she coos, panting and eager for my touch.
I curl a finger inside her liquid velvet heat. Fuck me, she’s so damn tight and wet. Perfect.
I know what I said about waiting, but I just don’t know that I can.
Like a hunter about to reap the reward of his kill, I push another finger inside her and watch her truly come alive under my touch. Her back arches up off the mattress.
Goosebumps prickle across her skin. I trace and kiss every dimple and curve of her body with my tongue as I pump my fingers in and out of that tight heat that now owns me.
Fuck, she smells like mine. I get a taste of her pretty little cunt and devour her like that bad wolf slaughtering his lamb for his next meal.
I feast on my wife to be. Eat her like a starving man receiving his final meal.
Her cunt pulses and squeezes around my fingers and tongue. Her juices coating my chin, I can’t get enough.
Knowing no other man has ever fucked her has me fucking feral. Feeling savage and ready to kill anyone who tries to take her from me. Her body writhes, and I know she’s close to the edge. I want to drag her there and pull her back over and over again. I want to hear her beg for my cock.
“Ah. Ah,” she cries as I find her sweet spot. Her fingers thread through my hair, giving it a tug.
My sweetheart loves having her pussy eaten and played with.
“Oh, God.”
“There’s no God here. Only me. When you cry out, you call my name.” I slap her clit in warning.
“Theo. Theo,” she calls my name like I’ll be her salvation, but I’m about to damn her to my hell.
“Tell me what you want.”
“I need…” she shakes her head. “I don’t know. My skin is on fire.”
“You need to come.” She nods and I shove my two fingers that were in her inside her mouth so she can taste herself. She moans, licking her juices off my thick, rough digits.
Her nails rake down my back to the waistband of my shorts. “Take them off.” Her fevered legs kick against the bed.
With my shorts out of the way, nothing separates us. There’s nothing to stop me from claiming her here and now in my bed.
“Theo,” the most nerve-grating voice I’ve ever heard calls my name.
“Fuck. Stay here.” I pull my shorts up as Cassie walks into my bedroom.
“You brought a friend,” she says. “A little fat for my taste. You can go now, honey. I’m here now.”
“Don’t talk to her like that.”
Cassie’s mouth opens and snaps shut as the tone of my voice registers. “You can’t be serious. I’m gone a few weeks and you replace me with this fatty. Is this a joke, because ha ha, you’ve got me.”
“I’m only going to tell you this one time. I’ve never liked you. Never planned to marry you. I tolerated you, but now I’ve met someone.”
“You can’t mean her. Look at her and look at me.” She runs a hand down her thin frame.
“Trust me. I have and gotta say, babe, you should eat something sometimes. All that coke you’ve been snorting makes you look like shit.”
“My father will ruin you.”
“Your father is an old man who is on his way out. That deal he made with my father died when he did.”
“You don’t mean that.” She shakes her head.
“Leave my key on the counter and get the fuck out.”
“Whatever. You’ve got a small dick, anyway. He’ll tire of you in a week,” she tells Ruby before turning on her heel.
“She seems nice,” Ruby says after I hear the front door close.
“I’m sorry about that. I didn’t think she’d show up this late. Should have had my locks changed.”
“You were going to marry that?” She hugs a pillow to her chest.
“Nah. Was good for business, but now that I’ve met you, I really don’t give a fuck about that deal.”
She nods. “Guess this killed the mood.” She laughs and I’m glad she’s being cool about it.
“I’ll make it up to you.”
“You better.” She pulls the covers back and settles into bed.
“I’m going to make sure she left my key.” I start to get off the bed when Ruby pulls a gun out from under my pillow and aims it at me. “Whoa. Easy. Never point a weapon at anyone unless you plan to use it.”
“I’ve never.” She shakes her head. “Never held one before.”
“I’ll teach you how to use it, but not tonight.”
“You asshole,” Cassie bursts back into my room with a gun of her own.
Both guns fire. Cassie drops to the floor. I turn to Ruby as she stares open-mouthed at the blood staining her fingers.
“Fuck, sweetheart. No. No. No.” I press my hand to her shoulder.