Jackson
“Oh fuck.” Bash looks up at me, eyes wide. “Chelsea just used the code word. She wants out.”
I don’t need any further encouragement. I’m out of my seat and out the door in two seconds. Aaron slaps my chest on the way out, but I don’t acknowledge him.
Thankfully, I studied the layout of the hotel’s public areas with Birdie. I only get slightly turned around but quickly find the hallway and the right door from Chelsea’s camera feed.
I bust through into the private room to find one of Harding’s hands up Chelsea’s skirt and the other on her bare breast. “Get your filthy fucking hands off my wife!” I thunder.
“,” Chelsea gasps, yanking up the strap of her dress.
Harding springs out of his chair and scrambles away from Chelsea. His pants tent with a boner, but I zero in on the fingers of his right hand. They’re not glistening. That means he hadn’t touched Chelsea yet or was bringing her no pleasure.
My glare swings to Chelsea, and it takes massive effort not to let my face soften toward her. A husband would be furious, so that’s what I have to project. Her face falls as very real shame rolls off her in waves.
I look away and rush over to Harding. Though I want to pound him, I keep enough distance so my uniform doesn’t even brush against his expensive suit. “I don’t care who the fuck you are. You better get the hell out of here before I break you in half.”
Harding scrambles from the room, knocking over his chair as he does. I watch the man leave and then pause to take a few deep breaths. My anger is not for Chelsea, but I still need a moment to let the rage fade from my face.
When my fury subsides, I turn and kneel before Chelsea. She won’t look at me. “Are you alright?” I ask, wiping a tear from her cheek.
Chelsea lets out a sob but still won’t lift her eyes to mine. “I couldn’t do it. He was close to giving up his contact, but I couldn’t stand the feel of his hands on me. I failed my team.”
I lift her hand to my lips, lightly brushing her knuckles. “I’m glad.”
Now, Chelsea looks up. “You’re happy I failed?”
Shaking my head, I answer, “I’m happy you protected yourself.”
Chelsea’s eyes widen, and she takes my face in trembling hands. The soothing warmth of her touch is at odds with the urgency in her eyes. “, I didn’t mean what I said. I was_”
I grasp her face like she’s holding mine. “Chelsea, stop. You don’t have to apologize. I shouldn’t have walked away. From here on, I swear. I’m never walking away again. I’m in love with you. I’m yours to tame. Yours to love. Yours to destroy.”
Chelsea sobs quietly, and I lean in to pull her to me. A voice at the door barks for me to stop. “, don’t move.”
Knot’s people spill into the room, and Aaron pulls me to my feet. The man touches my chest and blocks me when I try to swat his hand away. “Hold on a minute, dammit. Let me get the camera first.”
I freeze and look down at the small black disk stuck to my lieutenant patch. That’s why he smacked me as I was leaving the surveillance room. “Is that all you need?”
Aaron glances toward Chelsea and nods.
“Then I’m getting her out of here.”
I brush past Aaron to take Chelsea’s hand. She rises in obedience but doesn’t look at anyone as I lead her from the room. No one tries to speak to her, either.
Bash stops me in the hallway but only to hand me mine and Chelsea’s bags. “Call me in the morning, will ya?”
“I will. Thanks.”
Chelsea offers no resistance as we exit the Willard and walk to the hotel across the street. She’s silent throughout the trek, worrying me. I’m a little curt with the receptionist in my rush to get Chelsea somewhere private. I get the sense that her breakthrough is leading to a breakdown, and I want her to feel safe enough to do it.
The instant we’re behind the closed door of our room, I drop our bags and whirl around, pulling her tightly against me. That’s when the dam finally breaks.
“I’m so sorry, ,” she sobs, burying her face into my chest. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m_”
She’s killing me. I tilt her chin up and stop her by crushing my lips to hers. Chelsea lets my innocent kiss linger for a moment before pulling away.
Unshed tears fill her sad eyes, and pain laces her voice. “I let him touch me.”
Damn it. This is what I was afraid of. Wanting to make things abundantly clear, I back up to the bed and pull Chelsea onto my lap. With her straddling me, we’re now eye to eye. “No, you didn’t. You used the code word. We just didn’t get to you fast enough because we were all piled in the room watching the feeds. We failed you, Chelsea. I failed you. I should have been there the whole time. I should have been right outside that fucking door.”
Chelsea’s eyes squeeze shut, sending a torrent of tears racing down her cheeks. “I hurt you.”
“Not as much as I hurt you. I’m sorry I left. I should have_”
Chelsea takes a turn at shutting me up.
Her surrender is sweet. Making it even sweeter is that I haven’t asked for it. I’m so instantly drunk on her kiss that I don’t fight when she pushes me to lie back.
I grieve the loss of her lips when she lifts off my chest. Chelsea undresses me with the speed of someone used to wearing a similar uniform and boots. I watch, entranced, knowing she doesn’t want me to move.
After her dress and panties hit the floor, Chelsea releases her hair, which cascades down her shoulders in sexy chaos. My breathing increases, and the siren steps close again, gliding her palm up my aching dick.
She kneels and takes me into her mouth. I reach out to move her hair, not wanting to miss watching this. Chelsea bobs and swallows until I’m begging incoherently. I tug her hair firmly to get her to stop. The only place I want to finish is inside her.
“Sit on my face,” I demand, my voice choked. Chelsea doesn’t move, so I tug her hair again. “Get your ass up here and sit on my face.”
“, I can’t. I’d suff_”
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence, little girl. You’ve got three seconds.”
Chelsea finally obeys and settles her hot body over my hungry mouth. I lick my lips and dive in. She jerks at the first touch of my tongue but soon moans my name.
The sound goes straight to my cock, but it’s the only one I get. I look up to see why and notice Chelsea biting her lip to hold in her cries.
“Let me hear you.”
I reach up and take her hands, encouraging her to move against me. In no time, Chelsea shudders and calls out through her climax. I maintain my grip but slow the pace of my tongue while she soars.
Chelsea’s body slumps as she returns to earth but then quickly shimmies downward to impale herself on my cock. Before she does, I grunt the word condom. Chelsea answers with similar desperation, “Birth control.”
My eyes roll back as she takes me inside and then rocks and rolls her hips. Her tight channel contracts around me because of her climax, heightening the senses of my every nerve ending.
My hands find her full breasts, wanting to erase the memory of Harding’s touch. When Chelsea doesn’t flinch, I know she’s not thinking about that asshat at all. She’s here with me and not lost in her head.
Chelsea begins to tighten around me again, so I move my hands to her hips to help her come a second time. As she careens over the edge, her body tenses, so I hold her hips still and piston into her from below. My release soon explodes from someplace deep, and I finally give out, letting Chelsea collapse to my chest.
I lock my arms around her, content to keep her with me forever in this bed.