Chapter 26
Carrie
“I want to meet him,” Sarah demanded over the phone.
I’d gotten off work four hours ago and had been preparing for Grayson to come home to me.
Home.
I bit the inside of my cheek as I stared down at the sheer pink bra and thong on my bed. I’d just gotten out of the shower, my hair in a bun on top of my head, my skin smelling of berries.
“Sarah, I didn’t call you for that,” I reminded her.
When I’d gone into work this morning—Grayson dropped me off—-I dragged Sarah to the back room and told her about Grayson coming back, all while her jaw was on the floor. Margo didn’t care that Grayson took up the space of the entry to the store and Rossy was, as usual, hiding in his office. Of course, I lied about all the other things involving Leo, who had been the talk of the fucking town, and explained to Sarah that Grayson had showed up, wanting me. I told her he’d been on a job, searching for one of his men who had gotten caught up in some shit.
Did I know about the shit?
No.
But, she believed me, and that was all that mattered. I told her about the last week we’d spent together, how caring he was, how gentle he was. We cooked together, watched movies together, and at one point, we were even working together. Him doing his bounty hunter thing, and me editing photos.
The best part about it all? He actually talked to me— listened to me.
Grayson already knew all the bad things about me and he was still interested in hearing the good. He’d listen intently as I told him about my favorite book and my first time reading it in high school. His dark eyes would shine as I told him about my co-workers. He would smile as I told him about how goofy Rossy was under that shy exterior.
He told me about his childhood and being raised by a single mother, about his time in the Marines and the “shit” him and his friend, Mags, used to get into. He told about how he met Hayes, his second in command, and how they started Red Snake Investigations together.
The only thing he hadn’t told me was the story behind his tattoos. Then again, I was almost too afraid to ask. Every time he caught me staring at them, a muscle ticked in his cheek.
I also told Sarah he hadn’t touched me in the past week. Part of me assumed it was because of what happened with Leo, but the other part of me was uncertain. Every time I tried to take our kisses to the next level, he gently stopped me. The first few times, I’d brushed it off like it was nothing, but truly, I was starting to wonder if I was the problem.
So, I made a plan for tonight, roping Sarah in to make sure I was doing the right thing. I’d never seduced a man before. With Robert, sex had been rushed and uneventful. It was a chore for him, and now, I realized he never actually loved me in the first place. I’d been blind to believe that was the way love was supposed to be. Grayson was teaching me different.
“Carrie, I told you if you put that on and wait for him, he will devour you. Trust me. Anytime I do that with Michael, he is all over me,” she promised.
I blew out a breath and clutched the towel tighter to my chest.
“Now, am I going to meet him or not?”
I rolled my eyes, laughing. “Yes, you will. Soon.”
“I better,” she grumbled.
“Sarah?”
“Yeah?”
My voice trembled. “What if he rejects me?” I didn’t think I could bear it. What if he took one look at me and decided I wasn’t good enough? Or worth the trouble? I was trying to shake off the self-doubt, but now more than ever, those were loudest ones in my head.
I’d grown to love my body, and before everything happened with Leo, Grayson seemed to love it too. I loved how healthy I felt, how soft my stomach was, how I couldn’t see my ribs anymore, how round my face was compared to how sickly it used to be, how healthy my hair was. I loved every dip and curve my body had now. I loved the way clothes fit me instead of having them hang off my body like a potato sack. I loved how soft my skin was, how my breasts hung on my chest. I loved the shape of my butt and the way they looked in jeans.
I was beautiful.
I knew this, and yet?
Self-doubt was eating me alive.
“Carrie,” she called softly. “That’s crazy, you know that, right? After everything you’ve told me about him and the chemistry between you both…trust me. He isn’t going to refuse you.”
I heard his truck pull up in the drive. “Shit. He’s here.”
She giggled. “Put the lingerie on, let down your hair, and get into bed. Are the lights off downstairs?”
My body was trembling now. “Yeah.”
“Get your man, girl.”
With that, she hung up, and I scrambled, drying off quickly and putting on the thong first, then the bra. His SUV was still rumbling outside as I put the towel in the laundry basket, let my curls down, shook them out, and slid between the sheets. My heart was pounding in my ears, butterflies swirling in my belly as I kept my eyes on the door, my core pulsing with need.
I waited for what seemed like forever, and when I heard the front door open, my breath hitched. The door slammed, and Grayson called out for me. “Carrie?” His rough voice echoed through my home, drifting up the stairs and settling over me. My nipples pebbled underneath the sheer bra, brushing against the blanket on top of me. I heard him moving downstairs for a minute.
When his heavy footsteps hit the stairs, pounding against the wood as he climbed them, my thong was suddenly wet. I rubbed my thighs together, stifling my small whimper. I wanted him to own me, dominate me— ruin me.
The door slowly opened to reveal Grayson in the doorway. He was dressed the same as this morning, in black combat boots, dark green cargo pants, a gun strapped to his hip, and a tight, long-sleeved, black thermal that acted like a second skin, clinging to his muscles. My eyes met his, and I stopped breathing all together.
Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.
His nostrils flared, his eyes nailing me in place. “We need to talk,” he stated darkly, his voice vibrating with anger.
Panic trickled down my spine. “What’s wrong?”
He said nothing, moving away from the doorway, heading to the window seat. I watched with wide eyes as he bent, slid his hand underneath the pillow on the far right side, and pulled out my journal. He turned to me, his eyes on me as his hands pulled out the stack of notes I’d been receiving on my door. His brow rose as he held up the bundle. “Let’s talk about you not telling me you’re in danger,” he clipped, tossing the notes onto the bed.
I remained frozen, covered by the blanket. “Grayson—”
“Been here over a week and you said nothing,” he murmured, his voice anything but soft. “Been sleeping beside you every night, holding you every night, thinking you were safe. Leo was dead and nothing—no one would ever touch you again.”
“Let me explain,” I begged.
“I knew about the first one,” he told me. I flinched. “The night I met you while I was waiting for you to come home, I found the first one. But I hadn’t met you yet, hadn’t seen your fucking beauty or your gentle fucking soul hiding behind your gorgeous blue eyes,” he spat, his nostrils flaring.
I gulped.
He glared at me, holding the notes in his hands, ones that should’ve been on my body by now. “Michael found out about them, I thought it was a neighbor—”
A dark chuckle came from him then, deep within his chest, and goosebumps scattered across my skin, the air between us going heavy and cold. I watched as a shadow fell over his features, making my bounty hunter look like the Grim Reaper himself. “I know you aren’t stupid enough to think that, Carrie,” he rumbled, curling his upper lip. “You and I both know who your father was, and based on what you’ve told me, you had no idea about the kind of man you married.”
My stomach was in knots now. “I had nothing to do with my father,” I stressed, ignoring the comment about Robert. It was true. Deep down, I knew Robert only gave me what he wanted me to see. He’d also worked with my father. There was no telling what kind of things they were into, the enemies they’ve made. “I have nothing,” I added softly.
Grayson’s eyes pierced through me, straight through my heart. “Aside from revenge, your trust fund is a good fucking motivator.”
After a moment of strained silence, I nodded, not knowing what else to say. What could I say? He was right. I’d been blindly ignoring the fact that I could be in danger. I should have told him. After everything Grayson had done for me, the least I could’ve done was told him.
Swallowing once more, lingerie forgotten, I sat up. “I’m sorry. I should’ve told you, and even though I could make up an excuse, it wouldn’t matter,” I said, looking away from him. The cold air of the room touched my skin, keeping my nipples hard.
When Grayson said nothing, I was too afraid to look at him. I’d been stupid—careless. I was too busy trying to live in a fairytale, disassociating from the fact that my former life was full of nightmares. “I just wanted to be happy,” I whispered, closing my eyes.
There was no response.
My stomach dropped. The moment was done. Turning my head, I flipped the covers back and rose from the bed, ready to get dressed. I took one step towards the closet when he finally spoke.
“Sunshine,” he called, his voice sounding tortured, “what are you wearing?”
I looked over my shoulder, my curls brushing against my back to find him frozen in place, his chest heaving, his hands balled into fists at his sides. A look of pure agony was painted on his face, but the hunger in his eyes was hard to miss. Desire curled low in my belly and my clit hummed. My lips parted as I tried to think of something to say.
“Carrie, for the love of fuck, what are you wearing ?” he growled, his bearded jaw tight.
I turned to face him fully, and he cursed underneath his breath, looking towards the wall. “I thought you—”
“Cover yourself,” he ordered, the sharp tone of his voice hitting me in the chest.
“Do you—do you not like it?” I murmured, bringing my hands up to the soft skin of my belly, more insecurities getting ready to eat me alive and leave me with nothing but self-hatred.
His head snapped back to me. “Do I not like it?” he parroted, cocking his head to the side.
“You told me to cover myself,” I deadpanned, folding my arms over my chest as I shoved down the shame, letting the anger come first. “You’ve never once given me any indication that you weren’t attracted to me.”
“Carrie,” he warned.
“I’m a beautiful woman,” I snapped.
His nostrils flared as his back snapped straight.
I continued. “You know my story; you know the shit I’ve been through. Here’s something you might have missed: I love my body. I’m beautiful. I’m sorry that if, to you, I’m not sexy enough to wear something like this, but I know I am. If you have a—”
“Gonna split you open on my cock,” he informed me harshly, cutting me off.
I stiffened as a zap desire curled low in my belly, shooting down to my clit, color rushing to my cheeks.
He took a single step forward, one step that held so much power, my core gushed. “Gonna make you fucking scream for me,” he continued. “Then, I’m gonna take that pretty mouth.”
The image of him over me, holding me down as he fucked me, came to the front of my mind and a small sound left me.
“Because, Sunshine, I’ve wanted to fuck that mouth of yours from the first moment you gave me attitude. I wanted to shove you to your knees and make you choke on it, ” he said roughly.
My eyes dropped to the front of his pants.
“To answer your question, yes, I fucking like the outfit.” He took another step. “Came in here pissed at you, not knowing you had that on for me.” He shook his head, his eyes dropping, taking in my body. “That only makes me want to fuck you harder, punish you for driving me fucking insane and making me worry about you.”
I moved with the intention of going to him, but he stopped me. “No.”
“No?” I breathed.
He looked me up and down once more. “You fond of that pink little bra, baby? And that string you think is underwear?”
I nodded, suddenly breathless. “Yes. I bought them today.”
“Then take them off. If I take another step, I’ll fucking shred them.”
I held my breath as I reached behind me, my trembling fingers working the bra. Once it opened, I let it slide down my arms, my breasts feeling heavy as he stared at them. The bra landed on the floor as I hooked my thumbs into the thong, shimmying the fragile fabric over my hips and down my thighs before it dropped onto my feet.
Bravery was coursing through me now.
I brought my hand up to my nipple, pinching it between my fingers as I stepped out of the thong and kicked my foot up. The thong flew the short distance between us and I sucked in a breath when Grayson caught it. I pinched my nipple harder as his eyes flared. “You giving me a show?”
“Y-yes,” I replied, my breath hitching.
He jerked his head to the bed. “Give me a better view then.”
My entire body was shaking as I made my way to the bed, sitting on the end of it. He came around to my front, keeping his distance as he leaned his back against the wall, folding his arms over his chest. “On your back, knees up, legs spread,” he ordered.
Fuck.
I did as he asked, leaning back slowly and bringing my knees up even slower. When my legs were bent and curled over my middle, I looked at the ceiling and slowly let them fall open. I heard him say something under his breath, coming out harsh and quick. I put the heels of my feet on the edge, completely exposed to him now. My pussy was on display for him, my breasts spread wider as gravity took control. I lifted my head, finding his dark, heated eyes on my core.
Without looking at my face, he murmured, “Wet.”
“Yes,” I rasped. “So wet.”
“Carrie?”
My skin was flushed now, my heart thundering in my chest. The outside world didn’t matter anymore. It was just him and me. “Yeah?”
“Touch that pretty pussy for me,” he commanded, his voice husky. His eyes lifted to meet mine. “I need to see you play with what’s mine.” I watched as his eyes dropped down the length of my body, over my valleys and dips before lingering on my core once more.
I need.
He needed this, more so than I did. I could see now that he’d been holding back this entire time. His body was tight, his muscles tense, corded like the snakes on his arms, ready to strike. He’d been holding back for me—to protect me. “Grayson,” I whispered, wanting—no, needing him to look at me again.
When he did, he was barely holding on. “ Carrie, please ,” he begged.
I brought my left hand to my breast, cupping it as my other hand slithered down between my legs. My fingers brushed my already swollen clit, my body jerking in response. A ragged breath left him then. “Again.”
I rotated my fingers once more, rubbing the spot I knew would make me feel good, whimpering as pleasure slowly began to bloom. I wanted him to see what he did to me, how much I wanted him, how I was ready for him. I wanted to be his and his alone. There was no one else who would compare.
Joseph Grayson had me in his grasp since he let me go.
“Grayson,” I breathed, my fingers moving in continuous circles as my eyes fluttered closed.
“Fucking good girl, aren’t you?”
I pinched my nipple on a moan. I heard movement, then I felt his body heat near my legs. “I know you’re beautiful,” he said roughly. “You are a work of art, made to be admired by a man like me.”
My skin felt hot, my body buzzing as it tightened, ready for release.
“Look at me,” he growled.
My eyes snapped open to find him standing directly between my legs, his chest heaving as he watched me. My fingers moved faster, driving me closer to oblivion. “I’m going to come,” I rasped.
He stroked his jaw. “I know.”
Suddenly, he was looming over me, his weight braced on his hands beside my head, keeping his body above mine, not touching me. His scent filled my nose as he leaned down, his lips brushing against mine, trailing over my cheek and back to my ear. “You want to know something else?” he taunted, his rough facial hair tickling my nose.
Pleasure was burning through me now. If he said another word, I would ignite.
“I know you’re worth it, Carrie Hale.”
My back arched the bed as my climax took over, my body moving on its own. I latched my arm around the back of his neck, anchoring myself to him as I cried out, my thighs shaking. He moved then, shifting his weight to one hand and shoving the other between us. My eyes closed as he touched my spasming clit, my body jerking. He pressed down on the sensitive bundle of nerves, and I saw stars behind my eyelids, moaning his name.
With a growl, he shoved a finger inside me. My eyes shot open, and he was above me again, his eyes like ink. “Say yes,” he bit off, his jaw tight as his moved his digit in and out of me repeatedly. Just to torture me more, he pressed his thumb to my clit again.
I nodded rapidly. “Yes.” He shoved in a second finger. “God, yes,” I cried, both of my hands shooting into his hair as I writhed beneath him, his hand fucking me mercilessly.
“What did I say earlier, hm? About what I was going to do to you?” he clipped, dropping down to his elbow so that hand could yank my hair.
A raw sound escaped my throat, ragged and breathless, a second climax forming as his teeth scraped over my neck. My hips started rocking against his hand, fucking his finger back. The sounds of my pussy filled the room, followed by my pants and his harsh words. “Say it,” he growled, looming over me again. “What’s your bounty hunter going to do?”
I whimpered. “Split me open on his cock.”
In a flash, he removed his hand and he was gone. Then, I was flipped around, my feet on the floor. I felt a hand go into my hair, and my head was shoved down into the mattress. I heard the buckle of his belt open, followed by the zipper. A second later, he pressed his hips against my ass, the warm, thick length of his cock nestled between my cheeks. I whimpered at his size.
“Brace yourself, Sunshine,” he warned, his palms smoothing over my ass.