Chapter 7
Seven
Burke
I’ve waited a long fucking time for this. With Clara sprawled before me, I’m captivated by the delightful view. Anyone dumb enough to hurt this precious soul is a fucking idiot.
She whimpers as I take my time. Sliding my tongue around her clit, I swipe it down to her opening and back up.
Slipping a finger into her tight wet cunt makes me eager to please her. Clara’s legs tremble against my shoulders. I smile and pull away from her perfect pussy. “Shaking already for me?”
Her nails claw at the sheets beside her, and she smiles wickedly at me. I dip between her legs and continue swirling my tongue through her folds, fucking her with my fingers. My dick throbs as Clara’s whimpers fill the room.
“Please,” she whispers.
“Such good manners.” I latch onto her clit and suck as she clamps on my fingers. Pulling back, I watch her body react to the orgasm. Her skin flushes and her nipples harden. “Fucking perfect,” I tell her.
Rising from between her legs, I place my wet fingers on her lips and arch my eyebrow. Without saying a word, she takes them and sucks my digits clean. I lie back and stroke my cock. “Be a good girl and claim me.”
Clara flips onto all fours and closes the space between us. I wrap my hand in her light brown hair as she lies between my legs and slides her tongue over my shaft. Her green eyes meet mine, but her touch is too gentle.
Letting go of her tresses, I reach under her arms and pull her closer before pushing her down on my cock.
“You can take it. You’re doing such a good fucking job,” I tell her, releasing her as she continues the pace. “Fuck yes, don’t stop.”
She proceeds, using her hand to stroke my base and play with my balls. Pleasure courses through my body, and I arch my hips as the coil unravels deep inside.
As much as I want to let go, I need to claim her and show her how much I need her.
“Lie back for me,” I tell her, and she pulls off my cock. Drool covering her chin, her hair all mussed up, she does what I asked. “Fucking gorgeous.”
I get up and kneel on the bed, pressing kisses along her legs until I reach her thighs. Positioning myself at her entrance, I glance up at her face.
“Please.”
I grin, and she wraps herself around my back as I sink into her. It’s fucking incredible, and I know I won’t last very long. Bending forward, I brace my hands beside her head and brush my lips against her jaw.
Clara’s nails run down my arms, and it sends shockwaves through me. I nip her neck before leaning back and pressing her legs against her chest.
“You take my cock so well,” I growl.
Between us, I rub her clit with my thumb, and soon she clenches around me while moaning. I thrust into her hard until I can’t hold back anymore. I pull out and scramble to her head.
“Open your mouth,” I demand as I jerk off. My come covers her face. “Damn, Dragonfly, you look hot like this.” I smirk and lie beside her until my legs don’t feel jellylike.
As I stroke her hair, its familiar scent fills my senses. This seals the deal for me. Clara is mine, and I will fight to keep this feeling of hope for us.
I walk to the ensuite and wet a washcloth before returning to clean her up. Kissing her forehead, I tuck her back in my embrace. “I told you that you’re mine. I’ll find out where he lives and end this. No one’s gonna fuck with you ever again.”
Clara tenses in my arms and twists to gaze up at me. “Thank you. I don’t know what I ever did to deserve this. I only have one request.”
“Clara, you deserve the world. No man alive should’ve ever laid a finger on you.
Love doesn’t come with terms. It’s not something you go into debt for.
It’s supposed to be given freely. You’re such a strong woman.
I plan on taking out the trash, because while trauma will live inside you, I can fix the outside world. ”
She nuzzles against me. There is nothing more I need to do but protect her. I’d take her memories to live with for the rest of my life if it meant she could always feel safe. I have no illusions that it will heal her, but taking care of scum is something I can control.
Debbie told me all about this old man finding her again, and if removing him from the living means it gives Clara an ounce of peace, it’ll be worth it.
“I want to help. I need to be a part of this.” Her voice is quiet, as if she thinks she’s asking for too much.
“Deal, but his final breath? It’s mine.” I bring the covers up and wrap them around us before flicking off the nightstand light. “Goodnight, Dragonfly.”
I’ve talked to all my contacts and ran her waste-of-space stepfather through our security system’s database.
Finding he still lives in her childhood home makes bile rise in my throat. He’s been waiting for her for years, just around the corner.
Pushing away from the desk, I wander out of my office to the sound of the door opening.
Clara walks in from work, her jeans covered in flour, her hair pinned in a messy bun.
I don’t want to handle her as if she might break.
It’s not fair to treat her like she is so fragile.
A fire burns in her soul, and once we’re done taking out the trash I intend to show her I’m different, that I will go to the ends of the earth for her.
“Hey,” she says sheepishly, wiping her palms on her jeans before hanging her coat up.
“I have news. Good or bad—what do you want first?” Slipping my hands into my pockets, I lean against the counter.
“Bad first, I guess.” She sighs and pads down the hall to stand next to me.
I drop a kiss on her forehead and grab a bottle of water, knowing Debbie can only push so much food and fluids on my dragonfly before she refuses. “Well, they’re linked, so you get both this way,” I tell her. “I found him, and he still lives in your childhood home.”
Clara shivers, taking a drink of water before twisting her lips in disgust. “It always felt like someone was around. I thought I was just paranoid from Ryan.”
A fist of anxiety squeezes my heart. I should have stepped in and protected her sooner, but I’ve learned from Curt there was nothing I could have done unless I saved her as a child.
“When will we go?”
I wrap my hands around her waist and bring her closer. “Soon.”
“Now?” she asks, glancing up at me and biting her lip.
I am not a sadist, but I question my need to watch violence happen. Never to women or children—they are sacred as far as I’m concerned. But viewing karma collect what she’s earned gives me thrills I’ve never been able to explain.
“Go get ready. We have something else to do tonight.”
Clara’s eyes widen, and she nods before slipping out of my arms. For a split second things don’t feel right, and I reach for her shoulder.
She flinches, and I curse myself. “I don’t want to make you do anything you don’t want to do. I wanted to take you on a date is all.”
“Don’t treat me like I’m gonna shatter under your fingertips. I can’t control what I do with your actions. The therapist said it’ll take time. I appreciate you wanting to show me what real dating is like.”
Uncertainty hangs in the air, and I wrap her in my arms. Pressing a kiss onto her head, I pull her back at arm’s length.
“I don’t mean to treat you that way. This is all a learning process, Dragonfly.
I promise I’ll try better, and we’ll get the monsters that haunt you.
I’ll make the plans for tomorrow night.”
Her facial features soften, and she moves against me to peck my chin. “Thanks, Burke, you’re a lot more easy going then I initially thought,” she whispers before disappearing down the hall, and I hear her steps up the stairs.
Following her, I shut everything off in my office. I get into the shower and rush through it before shaving. I have become more relaxed, and I cannot figure out when that happened. It’s like I went through my own change after Ryan’s death.
“What do I wear?” she asks as she enters the room in a towel.
As much as I’d like her to wear that, I smirk in the reflection and keep my gaze on her face. “There’re two dresses in the closet I bought. If you don’t like either, we’ll find something else.”
She heads back to the bedroom, and I finish shaving. I don’t know how not to control someone who needs control. I want to give her what she desires, but I refuse to become another one of her monsters.
“This is too much, Burke,” she says.
Patting my face, I turn to look at her and damn near choke on my breath.
Clara’s light brown hair circles around her neck, and she has chosen the royal-blue dress that clings to every curve.
Now that she is eating again, she’s filled out.
The slinky fabric falls in all the right places, and the hip cutout teases the hell out of me.
“You’re breathtaking,” I tell her. “Let me get dressed and we’ll be on our way.”
Clara ducks her head as I walk past, and I let it go for now. While she’s in the bathroom, I slip into a dark grey suit and add a royal-blue tie to match her.
She comes out of the bathroom with light makeup on, and my heart does a somersault. Grabbing the box with the shoes I bought, I point to the bench at the end of the bed, and she sits.
“You take my commands so well. I’m trying to be what you need from me, Clara, but I’ll never become the monsters you know.
Even if it feels comfortable, we have to treat some parts of you as fragile, because you matter, and I’ll do whatever I can for you to see that.
My dominance is never about my power. Only yours. ”
“I don’t know why I need it. How does it even make sense, Burke? I should run for the hills when someone tries to control me.”
Kneeling in front of her, I stroke her calf as I slip on her shoe.
“Things don’t always make sense, but it might feel comfortable.
Abuse shouldn’t feel that way, but it does.
You can’t change that, although we can build on this to make our relationship whatever you need.
I’ve always been more dominant, and I’ll work on not treating you like glass. ”
Rising, I hold out my hand, and we walk down the stairs before heading out the door to the Lexus.
Once she’s in, we head to the restaurant. I meant to buy her flowers, but work took over today and now I feel like an ass.
“What’s got your head in a tizzy?” she asks.
“Just wanted to do more for this date. I owe you for the amount of good you’ve put in my life.”
I fiddle with the settings in the car until her voice grounds my anxiety: “You can spend the rest of ours proving it, okay?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
After giving the car to the valet, I take her arm and walk us into the restaurant.
It’s a little fancy for my tastes, but I wanted to go all out for her. Giving my name, we follow the host to a secluded booth and sit down before menus are placed on the rich, dark wood table. I order water for us, and the host bustles away.
“Burke,” Clara says, “I don’t know what any of this means. I’m not the girl for this.” She puts the menu down.
“Me either. Whatever sounds good we’ll get, okay? I wanted to impress you, but even I’m out of my element here.”
“You mean to tell me burgers and fries were always available, but you brought me here to eat tiny portions that talk about ducks and fat?”
Pressing my lips together, I hide the chuckle. “Well, yeah, I guess.”
Shaking her head, she reads the menu until the server comes back, then orders something I’ve never heard of. I agree to the same.
“I don’t care about money,” she says as the waitress leaves with our order. “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a farm animal. I want effort. Hell, Burke, I don’t even need anything.”
“I’m sorry. I should’ve thought this through more. I haven’t dated in over twenty-six years, Dragonfly. I’ll do better next time.”
The server comes back, setting appetizers in lettuce bowls down on the table. I squint at them.
“Still seem like a good idea?” Her teasing, bratty voice is a lower tone than her normal one.
“Well, no.”
“A better idea would be for us to go tonight. Then afterward, we can eat burgers and fries.”
Wetting my lips, I glance around the red-based restaurant filled with gold decor.
She’s not wrong, but I don’t think killing and eating is a solid solution. “If you eat something,” I tell her, ”anything, I’ll make the call.”
She glares at me but picks up the lettuce, filled with what looks like shrimp or something. It won’t be enough, but I don’t want her fainting on me.
When the server comes back, I ask for the bill, and Clara wipes her mouth.
“Make your call, sir.”
My girl likes to play with fire, and I smirk before pulling out my phone.
Clara slips under the table, and before I can stop her she undoes my pants. Caressing me until I’m hard, she licks the length of my shaft, and I let out a low growl.
“Make your call.” she teases.
I press the button for my cleanup guy as she takes me into her throat. I bite back the groans and let out a sigh as her hand strokes me.
“Early for ya, bud,” Curt says.
“Making a reservation,” I bite out.
Clara doesn’t stop sucking my dick, and I grip the phone so tightly I fear I might break it. With my other hand in her hair, I pull her down the length.
“Tonight? I’m open for the night.”
“Mhmm,” I grunt out.
“Sounds good. Send the address when you’re ready.” Curt clicks off, and I’ve never been so thankful that he’s not a small-talk person.
“Clara, you take me so fucking well,” I whisper.
She pulls away from me with a suctioning pop and slithers to sit on the booth next to me. “Let’s go home and change.”
I wrap my hand around her delicate neck, running my lips over hers. “You better finish this.”
“In time. I don’t wanna be late.” She teases me so well. The glimpses of her fire inside are one of my favourite things about her.
I hold her in place and slip my fingers into her panties. Wetness coats them, and I slide over her clit until she whimpers.
“Burke, please.”
“Don’t want to be late.” I smirk and pull away from her before shoving my digits into her mouth.
She sucks them, and I groan before tucking myself away.
The drive home is filled with tension and excitement, both of us wanting to get off as well as take care of lingering monsters.
Once we’re on our way there, Clara doesn’t say much. “You don’t have to do this,” I tell her.
“Stop trying to give me an out. I need to do this more than I’ve ever had to do anything.”
Grinning, I turn up the radio until we reach the neighbourhood. Turning down the volume, I park alongside the other block.
“Home sweet home, I guess.” She fiddles with her seatbelt and runs her fingers through her hair before putting it up.
“Clara—” I start talking, but she cuts me off. Her fiery expression is still there, and she has replaced the woman working through pain with the fierce, karma-serving villain she's embraced.
“I’ve got this.”