Chapter 11
11
M y blood is still singing from the fight, a high-pitched frequency that sharpens everything. The leather bench seat I slide across, the faint copper scent of blood, and Raphael’s pheromones as he climbs into the SUV behind me all sing.
The dress clings to my sweat-dampened skin, a change of clothes waiting in the bag at my feet.
My driver clicks the locks into place while my guard settles into the front passenger seat, both men silent.
Sebastian’s report fills my ear from the intercom Raphael handed me on our way out of the club. “I’ll run down every contact we have. By the time you reach the warehouse, I’ll have whatever intel’s floating around.”
“Great.” My fingers tap my thigh, counting seconds, counting heartbeats. I’m electric, alive.
Twenty minutes to the industrial park. Not a lot of time to prep.
The SUV pulls away from the curb, and through the tinted windows, the city slides past in streaks of neon and shadow. My city. My territory.
“We’ll need to pull men from the eastern district.” I force my mind back to the operation. “If Vince managed to get the order through before the gunfire started, we need to intercept the transport.”
“Already on it.” The clatter of a keyboard punctuates Sebastian’s words. “I’m redirecting teams to cover all possible routes. Will update with a meetup location.”
“Sounds good.” I pull the earbud from my ear and toss it to my bodyguard. “Keep me posted.”
“Yes, boss.”
Raphael’s knee bounces with energy. “Sebastian has things covered. We’ll get what we need by the time we arrive.”
“Your cousin hasn’t let his skills rust.” I can’t keep the edge from my voice. “Does it bother you, seeing him still doing the same thing he was before?”
Raphael’s jaw tightens. “This isn’t the time?—”
“When is it ever?” The fight still pumps through my veins, making me reckless. I press my palms flat on the cool leather, anchoring myself, but the energy needs somewhere to go.
“Tell me you haven’t missed this.” I rise onto one knee to face him and shove his chest hard enough that he grunts. His heartbeat pounds beneath my palm. “The gunfire. The planning. The fucking thrill of it all. Tell me pushing papers and closing real estate deals gives you the same rush.”
His eyes catch mine, hazel shifting to amber in the passing streetlights. “You were amazing back there.”
It’s not an answer, but my breath catches at the Alpha rumble behind the words. “ We were amazing back there. You were keyed into my every move and knew exactly what I was thinking.”
His hand slides up my thigh, slipping through the slit in my dress. “The way you took down those guards—” He squeezes my bare flesh. “Like you were dancing.”
Heat floods my core. “Fuck you.”
“Is that what you want?” His other hand cups my jaw, thumb pressing on my lower lip.
I want to bite him, to make him bleed. I want?—
His mouth crashes over mine, and I’m lost. I’ll never get tired of his lips, firm, demanding, tasting of blood and adrenaline. My hands fist in his shirt, ready to push him away, but I pull him closer instead, deepening the kiss until we’re both panting.
This is dangerous. More dangerous than any firefight. My brain screams at me to stop, but my body curves into his, seeking the familiar contours, the heat we once shared. Five years of anger and betrayal melt beneath his touch, and I hate myself for it. Hate myself for wanting what I had before. His hands, his mouth, his protection, his love.
I tear my mouth away. “This doesn’t change anything.”
“I know.” His breath comes hot on my throat as he pulls me toward him.
“I still hate you.” The words catch in my throat, faltering on the lie.
“I know that, too.” His hands circle my waist, lifting me to straddle his lap, the dress riding up my thighs. “Hate me tomorrow.”
The SUV turns a corner, the momentum pressing me against his chest. I should resist. I should maintain control. But the Alpha scent of him, intensified by combat and arousal, clouds my judgment. My body recognizes its mate, even if my mind rebels at the idea.
“Just tonight.” My hands shake as I sweep them over his firm pecs, not sure if I’m convincing him or myself. “Just because of the fight.”
His hands slide down to grip my hips, positioning me so his hard cock grinds into my ass, and my body responds, my dick harden as liquid heat slicks my entrance.
“Just tonight,” he agrees, but we both know it’s a lie. After years of hunger, one night will never be enough.
Raphael buries his face in my neck, dragging in a deep breath. His stubble scrapes my sensitive skin as he pulls back, pupils blown wide with desire. “You still smell like gunpowder. Always loved that scent on you.”
His hands slide down my back, pushing under the torn fabric of my dress to palm my ass, fingers digging into flesh hard enough to bruise. I want those marks. Want the reminder tomorrow that this was real.
The SUV hits a pothole, jolting us closer together. Raphael takes advantage, grinding his hardened cock against me through layers of fabric. My breath catches, electric pulses racing from where we connect, shooting up my spine and down to my toes.
“Missed the way you fit.” He rocks me over him with powerful hands. “Perfect.”
I want to hate my body’s immediate response, the way my thighs spread wider across his lap, how much my dick aches, how slick heat slides down my thighs. Five years of building walls, and they crumble at his touch. My hands slide between us, finding his belt buckle and working it open with practiced fingers that remember every detail of him.
Raphael catches my wrist, his grip just shy of painful. “Sure you want this?”
“Yes,” I hiss, hating how he forces me to admit it this time, but at this point, I couldn’t stop myself if I tried. I yank his zipper down. “I want you to fuck me. Now.”
Triumph flashes in his expression, and he releases my wrist to grip my waist, keeping me steady as the SUV takes another turn. His right hand travels up my inner thigh, pushing the dress higher until his fingers brush the lace of my underwear.
“Fuck.” He touches the damp fabric, the evidence of my desire for him. “You’re soaked.”
His fingers push the lace aside to massage my entrance. The contact sends shockwaves through me, my body arching toward his hand. He hasn’t forgotten the pressure I crave, the roughness, but his exploration holds an edge of desperation now.
He pulls the blade from its sheath on my thigh with practiced ease, the metal catching a flash of passing streetlight. “Lift for me.”
I rise onto my knees without question, knowing Raphael would never hurt me. The cold metal of the blade kisses my inner thigh as Raphael slides it under the lace. With a quick flick of his wrist, he slices through the delicate fabric.
The rush of cool air over my exposed flesh draws a gasp from my lips. “Could have just taken them off.”
“And let you leave me?” He sheaths the knife as his free hand presses harder into my lower back. “Not a chance.”
I drag my lips along his jaw, the rough stubble scraping my sensitive skin. My teeth graze the taut column of his throat, where his pulse races beneath my mouth. The salt of his skin, laced with that unmistakable Raphael flavor, invades my senses, leaving me breathless. His fingers slide through my wetness, circling my entrance, teasing but not penetrating.
“Tell me,” I demand, raw with need as I work his cock free from his boxers. The thick, hot weight of him fills my palm, and my thumb traces the vein on the underside, drawing a groan from him. “Tell me that sorting through papers gives you this thrill. Tell me your boardroom is the place where you truly come alive.”
“It doesn’t.” The admission tears from him, rough and honest. “Nothing compares.”
Victory surges through me, not just from his words, but from the crack in his carefully constructed facade. I capture his mouth in a bruising kiss, teeth clashing, tongues battling. When his fingers push inside me, two at once, I gasp into his lips.
“Enough foreplay.” I rock into his hand. “Fuck me.”
In a flash, he lifts me with one arm while the other pushes my ruined dress up around my waist. The underwear falls away as he positions me over his cock, the blunt head notching at my entrance.
“Look at me,” he commands.
I meet his gaze as he lowers me onto him, stretching me, filling me inch by delicious inch. My body remembers him and opens for my Alpha. I clutch his shoulders, nails digging through his suit jacket as he bottoms out inside me.
“Fuck.” His forehead presses against mine. “Missed this. Missed you.”
The confession sends a wave of emotion crashing through me. I roll my hips, taking him deeper, refusing to acknowledge the sting of tears that comes from how much I need this. “Show me.”
He grips my waist, guiding me into a rhythm that sets my nerve endings firing in rapid succession. The dress bunches between us, the fabric constraining my movements. Raphael must agree, because his hands move to the neckline, and with a sharp tug, he tears the front open.
Cool air hits my bare chest, my nipples hardening to tight peaks. Raphael leans forward, capturing one between his teeth, and the sharp pressure sends lightning through my core. He sucks hard, the tip of his tongue flicking the sensitive bud while his thumb massages my other nipple.
I arch backward, changing the angle of his cock inside me, hitting a spot that blurs my vision. His mouth travels to my other nipple, giving it the same treatment. The dual sensation of his mouth on my chest and his thick cock stretching me open has me trembling on the edge of release.
One of his hands slides between us, fisting my hard dick. “That’s it. Take what you need.”
The SUV hits a rough patch of road, the vibrations only intensifying the building pressure inside me. I’m close, so close?—
Raphael lifts his head, looking over my shoulder. His expression hardens with fury, and an Alpha Command rolls from his lips. “ Eyes forward . Both of you.”
I glance back to catch my driver returning his attention to the road, while my guard stiffens in the passenger seat.
My guard adjusts the mirror, which was angled to give a clear view of the backseat. “Sorry, sir.”
“Not another word.” Raphael’s attention returns to me, his grip tightening. “Where were we?”
The momentary interruption doesn’t cool my desire. If anything, the possessive display sends another rush of wetness around his cock. Raphael feels it, a satisfied rumble vibrating through his chest as he thrusts upward, reclaiming my attention.
“Fuck, you’re always so perfect.” His lips brush my collarbone. “Tight and hard and so wet for me.”
His praise washes over me, stripping away the years of resentment until all that remains is the raw need between us. I roll my hips faster, chasing the release building at the base of my spine, my balls tingling. Raphael’s hands guide my movements, his cock hitting deep with every thrust.
“That’s it.” His lips drag over my throat. “Take what you want. Show me how much you missed this.”
I wrench my arms free from the ruined dress, the fabric hanging in tatters around my waist. The heat in the SUV becomes suffocating, our bodies, our gasps, our desires consuming all the oxygen.
I slam my palm against the roof, the sharp sound punctuating the wet slap of skin on skin as I ride Raphael with abandon. The dress clings to my sweat-slicked skin in shreds, and I’ve never felt more like myself than in this moment, stripped down to pure instinct with the one person who’s always seen through every mask.
“That’s it.” Raphael’s fingers dig into my hip hard enough to leave more marks, his hand working my dick faster. “Show me how much you missed this cock.”
His words send a fresh wave of heat through me. I’ve always loved his voice during sex, the way it drops an octave, the edge of Command bleeding through his careful control. I roll my hips in a figure eight, his cock hitting spots inside me again, and my thighs tremble.
“Fuck, Avery.” His teeth flash in the dim light. “Your ass is squeezing me so tight. Forgot how perfect you take me.”
The SUV swerves, and I lose my balance, pitching forward. Raphael catches me, one broad hand splayed across my lower back. His other hand cups my jaw, thumb tracing the outline of my lips before pushing into my mouth. I bite down, not hard enough to break his skin but enough to leave a mark.
“Still wild.” His hand drops to circle my neck. “Never could tame you.”
“Never wanted to be tamed,” I gasp as he thrusts up hard.
His hold drops to my waist, supporting my weight as he guides me into a new position. “Lean back. Want to see all of you.”
I arch backward, bracing my palms on his thighs. The new angle drives him deeper, the head of his cock rubbing that bundle of nerves that paint starbursts behind my eyelids. My head falls back, exposing the column of my throat to him, a vulnerable position I’d never allow with anyone else.
“So fucking beautiful.” Raphael slides one hand up to pluck my sensitive nipple. “Everyone in that club wanted you tonight, but you only belong to me.”
The pleasure builds at the base of my spine, coiling tighter with each roll of my hips. I need more leverage. My hand reaches behind me, grasping for purchase, and connects with the headrest of the front passenger seat. I draw my knees up, planting my feet on the seat by Raphael’s hips, and a fresh jolt of pleasure tears a moan from my throat.
The guard’s hair brushes my knuckles, intruding on the moment, and I shove his head forward.
He hunches to get out of my way. “Sorry, boss.”
“Shut up,” Raphael barks, his attention never leaving my face. “Not another word until we arrive.”
The guard stiffens but remains silent. The knowledge that we have an audience, that my men bear witness to every moan, every gasp, every wet sound of Raphael’s cock sliding in and out of my body, should embarrass me. Instead, it adds another layer to my arousal. Let them hear. Let them know what kind of Alpha it takes to claim their boss.
Raphael’s hands move over my body, pinching my nipples, gripping my thighs, sliding down to where we’re joined to feel his cock disappearing inside me, each touch proprietary, marking me as his.
“No one else has had you like this.” A statement, not a question, and he leans in, demanding, “Tell me.”
“No one.” The truth tears from me on a gasp as he hits that perfect spot again. “Just you.”
His chest rumbles with satisfaction. “Because you’re mine.” His hand returns to my dick, gripping me with perfect pressure. “Always been mine.”
I want to deny it, to maintain some semblance of the independence I’ve built over the last five years. But my body betrays me, clenching around him at his words, and the coil of pleasure winds tighter, threatening to snap.
“That’s it.” He strokes my dick faster. “Come for me, Avery. Milk my cock with your sweet ass.”
My back bows as the first wave hits, pleasure crashing through me with enough force to blur my vision at the edges. I cry out, uninhibited and raw, spilling over his fingers. Raphael growls in response, his rhythm faltering as my inner walls clench around him.
Before I collapse, he yanks me forward, one hand fisting in my hair to direct my face to the crook of his neck. His pheromones fill my nose and mouth, extending my orgasm to leave me shuddering and gasping.
“Fuck, baby, you feel so good.” His hips jerk upward as he holds me tightly to him, his cock pulsing.
The hot flood of his release triggers another wave of pleasure, my body clenching around him. I inhale deeply, drugged on his scent, the arousal, the satisfaction, the possessive edge that screams mine . My teeth graze his throat, not quite a bite but enough to have him shuddering beneath me.
For several heartbeats, we stay locked together, breathing hard, his cock still pulsing inside me. The SUV turns onto a rougher road, the motion shifting him inside me and drawing a whimper from my lips.
“ETA,” Raphael barks, his hand still cradling the back of my head.
The driver clears his throat. “Ten minutes, sir.”
Raphael’s chest vibrates with a dark chuckle felt more than heard. His hand strokes down my spine, leaving trails of fire in its wake. “Plenty of time.”
In one fluid motion, he flips our positions, laying me on my back on the leather seat. My legs wrap around his waist as he settles between them, his still-hard cock sliding within my oversensitive flesh.
A laugh bubbles up from my chest, part disbelief, part exhilaration as he braces himself above me. In this overheated backseat with the man who’s both my greatest weakness and my perfect match, I allow myself to forget everything but his weight on top of me, inside me, all around me.
“Round two,” Raphael murmurs against my lips, rolling his hips. “This time, I want you to scream my name.”
I drag my nails down his back, leaving my mark on him. “Make me.”
And as he pushes inside me again, filling me perfectly, I know with bone-deep certainty that whatever happens after tonight, I’ll never stop wanting this Alpha.
Ten minutes. A lifetime. It will never be enough.