Chapter Eight
Chains
I woke before dawn, Ellie’s warm body curled against mine, her breathing soft and even in sleep. For a moment I just held her, staring down at the peaceful curve of her lips, the way her dark hair spilled across my chest like spilled ink. Once her father arrived, her peace would be shattered.
Tate fucking Blackheart. The Butcher of Bellevue.
The man who’d torn her childhood to pieces and now expected to waltz back into her life like he deserved a place in it.
My jaw clenched at the thought, and I gently extracted myself from bed, careful not to wake her.
She’d need all the strength she could muster today.
I padded to the bathroom, turning the shower as hot as it would go, letting the scalding water pound against my muscles.
As if I could wash away the anxiety of what was coming.
I braced my hands against the tile, head bowed under the spray, and tried to prepare myself.
Two days. Just two fucking days with this monster, and then he’d be gone.
But God help him if he hurt Ellie in the process.
“Chains?”
I turned to find Ellie standing at the door to the shower.
She looked so fragile it nearly broke my heart just to look at her.
Which made the hate inside me for anyone who’d dare hurt this woman in any way want to explode free.
The more she hurt and stressed, the more my fragile control on my temper strained.
“Come here, baby.” I reached for her. She was still naked as she came to me without hesitation. I pulled her into the shower with me under the spray then framed her face in my hands as I kissed her.
The water cascaded over both of us as I held her close, feeling the tension in her shoulders beneath my palms. Her lips were soft and desperate against mine, like she was trying to memorize the taste of me before everything went to hell.
I deepened our kiss, tasting her need, her vulnerability…
but also her fear tinged with a hint of desperation.
The heat between us was undeniable. Had been almost from the moment we met.
I would burn down the world for this woman just to see her smiling and carefree.
More like she was when she first got here, only better.
I wanted her thriving and being exactly who she wanted to be, doing exactly what she wanted to do.
And most of all, I wanted to be her protector.
Her wet body slid against mine, and I groaned into her mouth as she explored my chest, then trailed her hands down my stomach to wrap her fingers around my cock.
“I need you,” she whispered against my lips. “Make me forget everything but you.”
I lifted her easily, pressing her back against the shower wall. She wrapped her legs around my waist, her pussy hot against my hardening cock. Water streamed down between us as I held her there, continuing to kiss her for long, long moments.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” I murmured, against her lips. “So perfect.”
She shuddered in my arms, her head falling back against the tile, allowing me to kiss my way down her neck, to scrape my teeth gently over her skin.
I shifted my grip, supporting her with one arm while using my other hand to brush her nipple until it hardened beneath my touch.
Her soft moan echoed off the shower walls, the sound vibrating through to my cock.
Her slick heat against my cock was driving me insane.
I couldn’t wait any longer when she begged me with a small, demanding scream.
In one smooth thrust, I pushed inside her, swallowing her cry with my mouth as I filled her completely.
Her inner walls clenched around me, so tight and perfect I had to stop for a moment to keep from losing control.
“Fuck,” I hissed against her neck. “You feel so Goddamn good, Ellie.”
She dug her nails into my shoulders, her legs tightening around my waist as she adjusted to my size. “Don’t stop,” she gasped. “Please don’t stop. Fuck me!”
I began to move, slowly at first, building a rhythm that had her whimpering and moaning against my ear.
The shower spray beat down on my back as I braced one hand against the tile wall, using the other to hold her firmly against me.
Each thrust pushed her up the wall slightly before I pulled her back down onto my cock.
“That’s it, baby,” I encouraged as her head fell back, eyes closed in pleasure. “Take what you need from me,” I said, watching her beautiful face contort with pleasure as I thrust deeper.
Her pussy clenched around me like a vise, and I knew she was close. I increased my pace, driving into her with controlled intensity, feeling her body respond to every movement. The sound of skin slapping against wet skin mixed with our harsh breathing and her desperate moans.
“Chains!” she cried out, her nails raking down my back as her orgasm crashed over her. The feeling of her coming around my cock sent me over the edge, and I buried myself deep inside her as I found my own release, her name a growl on my lips.
We stayed like that for long moments, both of us breathing hard, the hot water still cascading over us. I held her securely against the wall, my forehead pressed against hers as we caught our breath.
“Better?” I asked softly, brushing a strand of wet hair from her face.
She nodded, a small smile finally breaking through the worry in her eyes. “Much better. Thank you.”
I set her down carefully, making sure she was steady on her feet before reaching for the soap. I washed her gently, reveling in the silky-smooth skin that was mine to stroke. Mine to taste. “On my word, Elvira, I will keep you safe from him.”
“I know you will.” She had a little pleasure-dazed smile on her face as she looked up at me. “Don’t let him hurt anyone here.”
“All I want you to worry about is doing what I tell you. Just until this is over.”
She frowned and the spark of temper that flickered in her eyes made me hard all over again. “I know you didn’t just say that.”
“Relax, baby. I only meant that you know he will do everything in his power to manipulate you, and you already admitted he’d been successful in the past. You let me take control over this if you don’t have the power to not do what he wants. That’s all I meant.”
“But I can deal with him myself.” I saw her resolve, but also her longing. She wanted to take me up on my offer but didn’t think she should. So I decided I was just gonna have to play the bastard.
“Sure, you could.” I leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose after turning off the water and reaching for a towel to dry us both.
“Unfortunately, you don’t have the authority to make any decisions here, and I don’t have the authority to give you the authority.
” I did my best to not show my amusement. “And I always respect authority.”
She snorted a laugh before her entire body relaxed and she sagged against me. I dried her before giving myself a quick swipe with the same towel. Picking her up, I moved back to the bedroom. I sat on the chair in the corner of the room with Ellie in my lap and tucked a blanket around us both.
“You good?”
She nodded mechanically, then shook her head. “No. Not really.” Her fingers twisted in the blanket. “What time is he supposed to arrive?”
“Noon.” I reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ll give you this one time to make a decision regarding your dad. You don’t have to do this. We can call it off if you want to.”
“I do, though.” Her voice was small but determined. “I need to face him. To see if there’s anything left of the father I knew, or if all this is just another lie.” She glanced away. “I know what I’m expecting, so I’m not gonna be disappointed.”
I swallowed my objections. This wasn’t about what I wanted -- it was about what Ellie needed. Even if what she needed might tear her apart. “Then I’ll be right beside you. Every step of the way.”
Her smile was fragile, but real. “Thank you.”
We dressed, then headed to the main common room, the only building we intended to give Tate access to.
Also, Knuckles was serious. He’d assigned two teams to the bastard.
Tiny and Noose during the day, and Inferno and Griffin in the evening.
I didn’t anticipate any niceties on Knuckles’ part either.
We agreed we wouldn’t tell Tate exactly what Kiss of Death was.
I guided Ellie outside, the October air crisp against our faces. “You don’t have to stand at the gate with me,” Ellie said as we crossed the courtyard. “You can wait inside.”
I gave her a look that made her lips twitch despite her anxiety. “Not a fucking chance. One more suggestion like that will have me tellin’ Knuckles to eighty-six the whole mess.”
“You really can be bossy. You know?”
“Been told that a few times in my life.” She might grumble, but I saw the way her shoulders relaxed.
She wasn’t free of anxiety, but I thought knowing she didn’t have a say in what was going to happen took a load off her mind.
Like it gave her permission to not feel bad or something.
If that was the case, I’d make it clear up front to Tate Blackheart there was nothing she could do to influence if or how long he stayed in our home.
We sat under the covered entrance outside the main warehouse.
I’d given Ellie a beer and encouraged her to drink.
Knuckles and Gunnar both stood casually near the clubhouse entrance.
Several other brothers lingered nearby, pretending to work on bikes or shoot the shit, but I knew they were all on high alert.
At precisely noon, a yellow taxi appeared at the end of the long drive leading to our compound.
My muscles tensed as it slowed to a halt before the gate.
Through the windshield, I could see the driver’s nervous glance at our clubhouse, clearly wondering what kind of fare he’d picked up who needed delivery to a biker compound.