Chapter 13
Sean
Chapter Thirteen
I want to pull Lina back into my arms and pretend like nothing exists but us. I want to whisk her away to somewhere warm and sunny that only has room for two. I want to make all of this better.
“I booked a room at a hotel. We can talk there, or we can go wherever you want.”
“I…” She shrugs.
I wrap my arm around her waist as we walk to my cousins. I don’t let go of her as I hug Cormac then Seamus. I know they’re glad to see me in one piece. They already know some of what happened. I called them during my flight up to Boston. I wanted to be certain Lina was all right. It was like I’m Atlas, and someone lifted the weight of the world off my shoulders when they told me she’d left Ewan’s. I don’t care who she stays with as long as she’s nowhere near Ewan. I don’t want her caught in the crossfire.
“Did anyone follow you?” I direct the question to my cousins.
“We thought so for the first forty minutes, but the car got off the highway. I didn’t see it when I canvased the neighborhood while Ms. Tremblay was in the house.” Seamus surprises Lina because I feel her stiffen.
“Ms. Tremblay?” She sounds hurt but appears thoughtful. “You’ve never used my first name.”
She looks up at me, and she still appears sad. She doesn’t get the distance Seamus put between them. I’ll explain yet another thing when we’re alone.
“No sign of either guy?” I know my cousins know who I’m talking about.
“No.”
“Sean?”
“Let’s get in the car and head to the hotel.” I nudge Lina, and she walks with me to the limo. I don’t want a cramped town car.
Once we’re in, I lift her onto my lap before she can fasten her seat belt. She’s in a dress, and I can feel the heat from her cunt pressing against my dick. I slide my hands up her thighs, enjoying the bare skin against my palms until I cup her arse.
“Feck, cailín. My hands have felt so empty since the last time I touched you.” I’ve been fantasizing about her every moment that hasn’t been filled with work.
“I’ve had a lot of time to think about the way you feel, too.” She presses her pussy harder against my cock.
“Lina, we have a lot to talk about. I understand if you’d rather do that first.”
“Nope.”
I wrap my hands around her waist and shift until I can lay her along one of the long bench seats. This is why I wanted the limo. I unbutton the top of her dress, and she pulls down her bra. I stare at what I did the other day. I left a lot more marks than I realized, and some are going to take longer to fade than others. I have a moment of guilt.
“Sean, I love seeing them. I love that they’re going to last a few more days.” She lifts her head to give my lips a peck.
I scoot back and lick her left nipple over and over, swirling my tongue around it until it tightens. I move to the right one and suck. I bite, but not enough to break the skin. I keep inching back until I’m kneeling on the floor. I lift her right leg over my shoulder as I kiss the inside of her left thigh. Then I’m at the promised land.
I lave her cunt from the back to front. I press my tongue inside her, flexing it as she writhes. I move onto her clit, flicking it over and over until I suck that, too. All the while, my fingers play with her nipples, rolling them between my thumb and forefinger.
“Sean, that feels amazing… Fuck… The things you’re doing. I—Fuck, I’m close… Yes. I’m?—”
I suck extra hard on her clit, my fingers now in her and stroking her g spot. She lifts her hips off the seat, and I let her. She tenses as she comes. I love watching her. I love knowing I pleasure her. I don’t stop. I press my pinky against her arsehole, and she sucks in a breath. I do nothing more for now, unsure what her experience is with this. An image of Colt pops into my mind, but I shove it aside. I do not want to know what they did together.
“I want it all.” She speaks on an exhale.
The pad of my pinky goes a bit deeper.
“Have you?”
“Yes.”
Again, Colt comes to mind. Fuck that motherfucker.
“I want to see you with a plug in your arse before I take it.”
“You don’t have to take what’s given to you.”
Our gazes lock before I pull my fingers from her. I move up to hover over her. She reaches for my belt. I let her unfasten my pants and push down my boxer briefs. I wrap my hand around my cock and slide it between her pussy lips, coating it. Her hand covers mine before I slip it out from beneath her. She aims the tip to her pussy, but I don’t flex my hips. We’re still looking at each other, so I harden my expression.
She releases me immediately. Her hands go over her head, and I thrust as hard as I dare. I’m balls deep, and I want to come just from how her cunt squeezes around me. I shift again, so my elbows bracket her head, and I bear my weight on my elbows and forearms. I cover her hands with mine, and she spreads her fingers. I entwine our fingers as I keep surging into her. I can’t—yes, I could—I’ll never make the excuse that there’s a point of no return for men to control themselves—I don’t want to stop.
I pound into her as her hips rise and roll to meet mine. I rub my pubic bone against her clit every time I sink all the way into her. I’ve had plenty of sex since I was sixteen and lost my virginity. I’ve had amazing sex, and I’ve had pathetically disappointing sex. Most of it’s been somewhere in between. I’ve thought I’ve had earth shakingly good sex. But I know now that I was sorely mistaken. Nothing physical or emotional has felt like being with Lina.
Shane and I flew back to New York to drop off our men, then my brother and I came up here. He’s still in Boston to keep an eye on Ewan. Since I was alone in the plane for nearly an hour, I did some googling. I don’t want to think this is infatuation or just the strongest case of lust I’ve ever had. I want to think this could be more, so I looked up the neuroscience behind love at first sight. Of course, there’re conflicting theories and opinions. But I found enough articles to believe there’s a reasonable possibility it could be real.
“Sean, harder.”
She’s so much smaller than me, but she’s not frail. I’m careful not to crush her, but I give her what she wants. Her moans spur me. The way she purposely squeezes my dick makes me want to come. She becomes almost impossibly tight. I let go of one of her hands to draw her right leg over my hip. I put my left foot on the floor and do as she told me.
“Fuck, Lina. You haven’t gotten off yet, and I’m so close.”
“Don’t hold back. Even if I don’t come, I want you to.”
“I feel the same way. I want to pleasure you until you can’t think of anything but the feel of me inside you.”
“Mission accomplished. I can barely think about anything besides that.”
Her free hand goes to my arse, and she presses my hips into her.
“I’m going to cuff you to a bed and have my way with you. You’ll take whatever I give you. I decide, little one.”
She lets go, but I press her hand back to my arse.
“What else are you going to do?”
“I’m going to slide a vibrator in you and let it run until it makes you come. You won’t be able to stop yourself. You’re going to suck me off while your pussy buzzes. When I’m done and know I’ll last more than five minutes before I need to come again, I’m going to spank your sweet little arse with a riding crop. I’m going to take it to your swollen little pussy and make you scream. I’m going to enjoy your little pink arse while I fuck it.”
“How soon?”
I grin at her enthusiasm.
“As soon as I get what I need.”
She cants her head for a moment. I have a sinking feeling.
“Do you already have those things, cailín?”
She shakes her head. “I wondered if you did.”
“I don’t. Lina, I’ve never brought a woman back to my place. I stick to my clubs. I have a studio where I’ve met my subs in the past. But when my last arrangement ended, I got rid of the stuff. I’d planned to just stick to scening in dungeons.”
She nods, and we have nothing else to say as we fuck. I’m lasting way longer than I expected. I feel her body tense beneath mine before she cries out.
“Sean!”
“Yes, baby. I’m here. Keep going. I’m going to get you off again.”
I keep working her pussy, praying she’ll come soon now that I told her I was going to make it happen. I’m so close I know I’m leaking. Her nails dig into the back of my hand and into my arse as she works to meet each of my thrusts.
“I’m coming, nounours.”
Her neck arches as her eyes squeeze shut. I don’t hold back. I flood her with my cum. We’re panting by the time we’re done. I know she can taste herself when we kiss. I slide an arm beneath her and lift her as I shift to sit on the seat. She flops against my shoulder, her breath tickling my neck. My ribs feel like my heart’s making them vibrate.
“That was incredible.” She sounds awestruck.
“I agree.”
She pulls her knees higher and tucks her arms between us and fists my shirt. I kiss her temple over and over as I hold her, my dick still buried in her. I stroke her back as we catch our breath. Then we enjoy the calm and silence together.
But it doesn’t last long since we’re at the hotel in a couple minutes. I don’t want her to get up, but it’s not like I can check in with her wrapped around me, my pants pushed down, and my cock still in her. We fix our clothes before I tap on the window. This is a hired car service, so I made sure to tell the driver not to open the door until I signal. No one is seeing my woman in a compromised position. Entirely possessive, I know. Protective is the intention.
She’s mine.
“Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. O’Rourke. It’s a pleasure to have you stay here.”
The man at the reception desk beams at us. In this day and age, it seems strange to assume a couple is automatically married because they’re checking into a hotel room together. I do nothing to correct him since I don’t believe he needs an explanation, and it’s safer if Lina’s name doesn’t come out. I glance down at her and find she’s already looking up at me. There’s mischief in her eyes, so I know she isn’t upset by the title the man gave her. It suits her.
I have a duffle bag, and that’s it. I carry it myself, and we get into the elevator in silence. I draw her into my arms at the same time she wraps hers around me. It feels perfectly natural. Like how a girlfriend or wife would feel. I mean, I guess since I’ve never been married, and I haven’t had a girlfriend in nearly ten years.
We remain silent until we get to the suite. I let us in before shutting and locking the door. Our gazes sweep over the room, landing on the soaking tub that’s in the middle of it. It has a view out to a park, and we’re up high enough no one down there could see in. It’s probably a marvelous view, but it feels out of place. I have every intention of getting her in it before morning.
I put my bag down outside the bedroom door as we walk past. When we get to the sofa, I sit first, something I would normally never do. But she understands the invitation. She sits sideways before curling into me. As it seems to be routine now, my hand slips under her dress to cup her arse. I slide my finger under her thong’s thin string.
“Do not wear these anymore. When I want your pussy, I will have it with nothing in the way. Not even this strand of floss. Do you understand?”
Her eyes droop closed as she smiles. “Yes, nounours.”
The word no longer means teddy or teddy bear. It’s her name for me. I love it.
“If you do, I will spank you, then edge you.”
“No, thank you.”
I chuckle, and I feel her arse tighten. She likes the sound. It has the effect I want.
“It wasn’t an offer.”
“Mmm. I think it was. Maybe I want to be spanked and edged sometimes. Not right now, so I said no thank you. But another day, I might say yes, please.”
I pinch her arse, and she jerks her hips upward. It gives me the space to slip my fingers between her arse cheeks.
“Are you always defiant?”
“More often than I probably should be.” She sits up for a moment. “I’m not talking about how I was with Doms in the past. Sean, as long as we’re together, that’s part of a past that exists, but not one I want to think about or talk about.”
“I wasn’t hinting at that. I get the feeling you can be plenty defiant in real life.”
“At times. I just want you to know I’m not comparing or pointing out my past.”
This is a natural segue, but I dread it.
“I know, Lina. But it opens the door to what we need to talk about. I’m uncertain where to begin. Since I said this is a natural transition, I’ll start here. While I was away, I found out about you and Colt.”
She goes rigid. Anger. But is it directed at me or him? When she narrows her eyes at me, I know she means at least some of it for me.
“And just what do you know about Colt and me?” Her tone is brittle.
“I know you were engaged. I know he maneuvered you, so he could get closer to your dad for a better position.”
She waits for me to say more, and it gives me a sinking feeling that’s there’s way, way more.
“Lina, I know nothing beyond that. I just know it was four or five years ago. I’m already well acquainted with Colt. I didn’t know about you until I met you. I didn’t even know Rowan had a second kid.”
“It’s not like I could have kept Colt a secret, but I would have liked to tell you in my own time.”
“And you can. You don’t have to share anything with me. I wanted to let you know I’m aware you were engaged. I found out because Ewan was in Baltimore while you were in New York. He was with Ellie.”
She pushes away from me, and she would have fallen if I weren’t holding her. She pushes my arm, and I let go. She gets off my lap and stares at me.
“In Baltimore? With Ellie? No.”
I stand, but she backs away. I put my hands up.
“I won’t touch you if you don’t want me to. But it’d be rude and awkward to talk to you while you stand, and I sit. I just want to be closer to eye level. I’ll stay right where I am.”
Her shoulders sag. “I’m not scared of you, Sean. I don’t want you to think I am. I need a moment of space. But I trust you.”
I lower my hands. Not progress, but at least not a backslide.
“You went to Baltimore last night.”
“Yes. I knew Ewan was there before I left. I didn’t go there to meet with him, and I didn’t.”
“You went to spy on him.”
I don’t answer. She nods. She knows parts of these conversations will be one-sided. She’ll ask things or say things I’ll neither confirm nor deny.
“I hope it was worth it.” She turns to look out the window.
She walks over to it and leans against the window frame, her forehead pressed to the glass. I inch closer, not wanting to talk to her back, not liking her out of my reach, and not enjoying being unable to comfort her.
“Can you tell me why he was there? Obviously, he used the jet. That’s why he didn’t argue when I said I wanted to fly commercial. I wanted to blend in. He wanted to sneak off.”
“I’m in uncharted waters right now, cailín. You’re working for your brother, so I know you’re informed about a lot he does. But I don’t know what you know. I don’t know what I can say that’s safe for you to hear. I won’t lie to you while we talk. But that means I may not answer, or I may stop talking. I don’t trust Ewan with your wellbeing. Not even a little. I don’t want to endanger you by telling you things he’ll punish you for to get to me.”
“I get it. Just tell me why he was seeing Ellie. I know he’s having an affair with her. Piece of shit that they both are. Her husband’s a nice guy and doesn’t deserve it. But she and Ewan deserve each other in spades.”
“I know. I’ve known Ellie for years. I remember back to when they dated in high school. I saw them at events together in college. I know Ewan better than I want to. That’s why it’s a shock that I never heard about you. You said you spent vacations and holidays at Rowan’s.”
“I never went to anything where people outside the family or organization were. Dad said it was to protect me, and maybe it was. But he likely also didn’t want to explain that I’m the result of him trying to get back at his dad and father-in-law. Me being in their home was enough reminder for my stepmom. Fortunately, she never made me feel unwelcome because of my dad’s shit life choices.”
“I never understood them as a couple.”
“It’s not ours to reason why.”
“Do you know Clyde Schlossberg?”
“I know of him. He’s an investment banker from Munich. He’s got some commercial development projects in Boston. He and Dad bought in on some of the same ones. Why?”
“Do you know what kind of relationship he and Ewan have?”
“None as far as I know.”
“You encrypted your brother’s financials. Do you know where the money came from?”
“Not specifically. But I know what he does. It’s not exactly a state secret what our families are into.”
I hate the observation that Ewan and I are even remotely similar, but we are. Far too similar. At least with work. What we do. Not how we do it.
“There are off the books deals where it’s cash only. Nothing gets deposited, but it might get reported internally.”
“I know. There were, but I didn’t ask where the amounts came from. I just hid the information. Was he in Baltimore last night to meet Schlossberg? Is he becoming a silent investor in something down there and doesn’t want anyone to know?”
I walk over to her, but not so close she feels boxed in. She looks over her shoulder at me and holds out her hand. I wrap my arms around her, and she leans her back against my chest. We look out the window together.
“Other people in his organization know. Colt knows.”
“Fuck him.”
Her reaction is visceral and intense.
“They had a deal, but it had nothing to do with any legit projects.”
“Drugs?”
I remain silent. She nods.
“Baltimore is closer to New York than Boston. He overstepped, so I went to deal with it. Schlossberg’s in his fifties. Everything about him speaks to ruthlessness. Your brother is way in over his head. He came back to Boston as fast as he could because Schlossberg is pissed at him. Things didn’t go the way Ewan planned.”
“Because of you.”
I remain silent. The call I got right before I went to sleep was a dock master giving me a courtesy call to say Customs and the DEA planned a bust. They raided the container ship and found the oregano. They were pissed it wasn’t the weed they expected. It also meant the spies Schlossberg had at the port clued him in before Ewan left town. Fortunately for him, he was on the way to the airport when it happened. He was wheels up before Schlossberg found him.
Kelly’s dad went back to the meeting spot after he helped take care of the vehicles. He watched men cut the bolt and go in the shipping container. He said they were pissed when they came out with nothing, but he wasn’t close enough to tell if they were American or German. Whosever stash it was knows it’s gone.
“Does Ewan know?”
“By now, probably.”
“Will Schlossberg kill him?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Are you in danger? Like, more than usual?”
“If they figure out who interfered, probably.”
I can’t tell her we’ll buy Schlossberg’s secret—a nice way of saying we’ll bribe him to stay quiet. But we’ll welcome Ewan making the first move. We’ll make the last.
“Did you hear about this through Ellie?”
“No.”
She sighs and leans back against me.
“I’m going to tell you what I think happened, knowing my brother. You don’t have to confirm or deny anything. I simply want you to know what I believe. Ewan went to Baltimore to sell marijuana to Schlossberg. I know it’s a possibility. I won’t say how I know for the same reason you won’t tell me things. And it’s not for our safety.”
Because she’s still loyal to her family, just like I am to mine.
“He met with the German to solidify some deal. You have the product now, or you did until you sold it in your own deal. Schlossberg’ll put a hit on him if he hasn’t already.”
She looks over her shoulder at me for a long moment before turning back to the window.
“You won’t let him kill Ewan for my sake. You’ll let them rough him up, but not so badly I’ll panic or feel obligated to go back to help him. I think you have a CI in Baltimore who told you where to go and probably listened to Ewan’s conversation with Ellie. He probably reassured her that Colt will keep me occupied if I get nosey or pissed off. My brother made sure to get home before me—that’s why he didn’t object to me flying commercial—and why he wanted me to keep working for him. He didn’t seem upset, so he either didn’t know something happened to the shipment, or he believes he can handle it.”
That about sums it up. But I can’t agree. I remain quiet.
“What’s the likelihood Schlossberg will find out you’re involved?”
“There’s always the chance.”
“But are we talking five percent or ninety-five percent?”
“Fifty.”
“Does Schlossberg have a history of killing people who cross him?”
“Yes.”
“Will Ewan know you fucked him over?”
“He probably does by now.”
She goes silent again, but her body remains relaxed against me. We just stand looking out the window. It’s a miracle I see something flash near a tree. I twist Lina away and push her to the ground a second before the window shatters. Searing pain shoots through my right ribs. Fuck. I know this pain.
“Lina?” It’s hard to breathe.
“I’m all right. Are you?”
“No. Call Seamus and Cormac.”
I try to roll off her, but I’m lightheaded already. This isn’t just the initial pain that comes from being shot or being winded from falling with her elbow in my gut.
“Sean!”
I moved enough for her to scramble out from beneath me, but it’s like I’m listening to her underwater. I’m going to pass out. I watch her run to her purse and grab her phone before she tugs my suit coat off. I can’t even groan from the pain as she jostles me. Things are blurring as she presses my wadded-up suit coat against my wound.
I hear her speak, but none of it makes sense.
“Seamus, it hit his lung. Get up here.”
I’m either taking a nap or dead.