23. Julian
23
JULIAN
I stare out the floor-to-ceiling windows of my penthouse study, watching Chicago's skyline fade into dusk. The door clicks open behind me. Only one person enters without knocking.
"We've got a situation." Xander's reflection appears in the glass, his usual easy smile replaced with tight lines around his mouth.
I turn, catching the tension in his shoulders. "What happened?"
"I was at Cindy's with Soph. You know how she likes that fancy cocktail shit they serve." He drops into one of the leather chairs across from my desk. "Travis showed up."
My jaw tightens. Xander won't say it but Sophie is one of the only girls that Xander sees regularly - and that's saying something for him. "Did he touch her?"
"Grabbed her arm when she tried walking away. Left marks." Xander's fingers drum against the armrest. "Kept demanding to know where Ivy was. Said some shit about 'teaching her a lesson about respect' when he finds her."
Ice spreads through my veins. "What else?"
"Sophie mentioned he's been asking around. Throwing money at people for information." Xander leans forward. "But that's not the concerning part. My contact at CPD flagged something interesting. Three assault charges in the past year, all dropped before they hit the system. Daddy's money making problems disappear while he was fooling around behind Ivy's back."
"And now he's looking for her." The words taste like ash.
"Yeah. Sophie said he was coked out of his mind, worse than she's ever seen him. Nearly put his fist through the bar when she told him to fuck off."
The crystal tumbler in my hand cracks under the pressure of my grip. I set it down before it shatters. "Have Marcus pull everything on Travis Porter. Bank records, phone logs, security footage. I want to know every move he's made in the last month."
"Already on it." Xander stands, adjusting his shoulder holster. "Want me to have someone keep an eye on him?"
"No. I'll handle this personally."
"Figured you'd say that." A ghost of his usual smirk appears. "Just try not to get blood on that nice suit. You know how particular your tailor is."
After Xander leaves, I can't shake the anxiety that is filling me. So, I decide to do something about it. I want Ivy safe and I need to blow off steam. There's only one solution for that.
Well, two. But I'm hoping a little self defense class will lead into sex.
I guide Ivy down to the sub-level of my building. Her boots click against the polished concrete floor as we approach a reinforced steel door. I even put her in an athletic outfit this time.
"What's this?" She peers at the biometric scanner.
"Insurance." I press my palm to the reader. The door slides open with a pneumatic hiss.
Ivy's breath catches as fluorescent lights flicker on, illuminating racks of tactical gear and weapons lining the walls. "This is... impressive."
"Come here." I lead her to the training mats in the center. "I'm teaching you a little basic self-defense. No arguments."
She kicks off her heels, bare feet silent on the cushioned surface. "Is this about Travis?"
His name makes me see red, but I focus on Ivy instead. She's here with me. And that should be enough.
"It's about being prepared." I position myself behind her, hands on her shoulders. "If someone grabs you from behind?—"
"Like this?" She spins, attempting to catch me off guard.
I deflect easily, but pride flickers at her initiative. "Good instinct. Again."
We move through basic holds and breaks. Her small frame fits perfectly against mine as I demonstrate proper stances. The scent of vanilla fills my senses each time she moves.
"Plant your feet wider." My hands slide to her hips, adjusting her stance. Heat builds where our bodies connect. "Now try to throw me."
She executes the move perfectly, using my momentum against me. I hit the mat with her on top, triumph lighting her amber eyes.
"Like that?" A smirk plays at her lips.
In one fluid motion, I flip our positions, pinning her beneath me. Her chest rises and falls rapidly, a strand of dark hair falling across her face. The training room fades away until there's nothing but her quickening pulse under my hands.
"Exactly like that," I murmur, and claim her mouth with mine.
Ivy's breath hitches as I trail kisses down her neck, her pulse racing under my lips. Her hips buck against mine, a silent demand for more. But I won't give it to her that easily. Not tonight.
I need to vent out some frustrations. And I know my girl can take it. She craves it, craves anything I give her.
"Tell me what you want, Ivy," I murmur, pinning her wrists above her head. Her eyes flash with defiance, but her body arches into mine, betraying her desire.
"You know what I want," she retorts, trying to tug her hands free. My grip tightens, holding her in place.
"Show me." I release her wrists, only to grab her hips and flip her onto her stomach. She gasps, surprise melting into a moan as I kiss the small of her back, fingertips tracing the curve of her spine.
She pushes up onto her hands and knees, trying to turn to face me. Her amber eyes are molten, hair cascading wildly around her shoulders. She reaches for me, but I catch her hands, pinning them behind her back.
"Not so fast," I growl, nipping at her shoulder. She writhes against me, a low whimper escaping her throat.
I shift so that my hips pin her legs down and I shift her top up, biting along the exposed skin. Moving lower, bite down on her ass and then nudge her legs apart, nipping at the sensitive spot on her inner thighs.
"Julian," she pleads, hips lifting off the mat. I respond by trailing kisses along her thigh, deliberately avoiding where she wants me most. Her hands twitch and pull, trying to be able to reach for me.
"Make me," I challenge, looking up at her. Her eyes widen, pupils dilating. She bites her lip, then twists violently, breaking my hold. I let her flip me over, straddling me. Her hands roam my chest, exploring the muscles there. She leans down, capturing my mouth in a fierce kiss.
"You want to play?" she whispers against my lips. Before I can react, she sinks her teeth into my lower lip, hard enough to draw a hiss from deep within me. The taste of blood is a coppery tang on my tongue.
I let loose a growl. I've never really seen this side of her, this fight, but it's like she can see what I need and is giving it to me.
She moves lower, kissing and biting her way down my chest. Her fingers trace the waistband of my pants, teasing. I catch her by the waist, flipping her back onto the mat. She laughs, the sound breathy and intoxicating.
"You're going to have to do better than that," I say, pinning her wrists above her head once more. She struggles, bucking her hips against mine. The friction sends jolts of pleasure through me, but I hold back, waiting.
I kiss her inner thigh again, feeling her tremble. Her hands claw at the mat, desperate for something to hold onto. I can feel her frustration building, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
"Tell me where you want me, Ivy," I murmur, nipping gently at the exposed skin of her lower stomach. She cries out, hips lifting toward my mouth.
"Lower," she pants, trying to guide my head with her hands. But I'm not done playing yet.
I nip at her stomach, her hip, along her thighs. But never. between them. She growls in frustration, and the sound goes straight to my groin. I love seeing her unravel, losing control. It's intoxicating.
This time when she moves, I'm not ready to stop her. She doesn't reach for me. Instead, she wriggles out of her leggings and underwear, kicking them off with a defiant flourish. Her tank top goes next, tossed aside like a challenge. She's on me again, teeth sinking into my lip, hands clawing at my pants. I pin her on her back, enjoying the fight in her eyes.
"You want this?" I growl, gripping her wrists, pinning them above her head. Her chest heaves, breasts straining against the silk of her bra.
"You know I do," she whines, bucking her hips against me. I laugh, low and dark, leaning down to bite the swell of her breast. She yelps, but there's no fear in her eyes. Only fire.
She manages to get a leg free, wrapping her leg around me, and using her body to flip us. She pushes me onto my back, straddling me. Her hands roam my chest, nails digging into my skin.
I grip her hair, jerking her head back and biting her neck, hard. She hisses, grinding her against me. Her moan vibrates against my lips.
She manages to get her hands between us, moving them to my belt. She undoes it, never breaking eye contact. There's a wildness in her amber eyes, a hunger that matches my own. She yanks my pants down, just enough to free me. Her small hand wraps around my length, squeezing. I buck my hips, a growl tearing from my chest.
She lifts herself up, positioning me at her entrance. She's wet, dripping. I can feel her heat, ready for me. She slides down, taking me in one smooth stroke. Her head falls back, a cry ripping from her throat. I grip her hips, fingers digging into her soft flesh.
She starts to move, riding me hard. Her breasts bounce, nipples peaked. I reach up, pinching one between my fingers through the fabric of her lacy bra. She cries out, grinding down on me. I do it again, harder. Her nails dig into my chest, and I just know she is leaving crescent moons in my skin. The pain only spurs me on.
I slap her breast, leaving a red handprint. She moans, riding me faster. Her walls clench around me, squeezing me tight as I do it again. I can feel her orgasm building, her body tensing. I pinch her nipples again, twisting. She screams, her body convulsing as she comes.
Her orgasm triggers my own. I grip her hips, thrusting up into her as I find my release. She collapses onto my chest, our breaths mingling as we come down from the high. Her body is slick with sweat, her hair a tangled mess. She looks up at me, a small smile playing on her lips.
"Round two?" she whispers, nipping at my jaw. I laugh, flipping her onto her back. Her eyes widen, surprise melting into desire. I lean down, capturing her mouth with mine. The fight's not over yet.