Chapter 15
Valentina
Hudson had broken an oath not only to himself, but to everything he stood for.
For me.
A part of me wanted to be angry with him, to challenge his reasons for crossing the line, but the larger portion, the girl who’d been wallowing in fear wanted to thank him.
Over and over again.
The look in Hudson’s eyes was remarkable and very telling. He was unused to being close to anyone. I didn’t know why. We hadn’t discussed our past relationships. It wasn’t necessary. We’d never meant for what we’d shared to go this far, yet here we were.
The deluge of emotions and the intensity of his presence were overwhelming in the most delicious way. Just the electric vibrations were enough to keep my mind spiraling.
Yet I’d failed him in a way that had altered the very foundation of his soul. I’d rocked his world unknowingly because I was determined to fight my own battles. Maybe I should feel guilty.
Maybe…
His anger had surprised me and his words would haunt me for some time to come. I’d been reckless, unthinking about him coming home to an empty house. I hadn’t even left a note. I’d just disappeared.
Truth be told and I certainly wasn’t ready to admit it, I’d been terrified of the heavy emotions I’d felt about him.
They’d caught me off guard, the combination of hunger and almost desperate need completely unlike me.
Instead of adhering to not only his warning but also his command, I’d run like a scared rabbit.
Right into the view of four men who’d had every intention of hurting me. Hudson hadn’t needed to tell me in gory detail their plans. Whatever he’d done to protect me was something I would never forget.
My actions had been selfish and dangerous.
Something I’d never forgive myself for.
He’d become my warrior.
“You’re so fucking beautiful.” His words were barely whispered, dark and husky and with his fingers digging into the side of my neck, his thumb gently brushing across my chin, I allowed myself to fall further into the sweet abyss.
There was no sense of danger or worry that our passion would be interrupted.
I pressed both hands against his chest, the slight moan drawing a smile from his lips. Lowering his head, he captured my mouth as I’d wanted him to kiss me from the moment I’d realized he’d returned.
It had been so strange yet so comforting to walk into his house knowing that I could rest easy. I felt safe and protected, more resilient than I had before.
I’d seen my shadow in the rearview mirror, a man in a dark vehicle following me, ensuring that no one dared try to harm me.
He hadn’t interfered, keeping his distance a couple of blocks away on the mostly deserted street when I’d picked up my daughter.
He’d followed me here, parking close enough that he would know within seconds if I was in distress.
His face had been in silhouette, his features hidden by the darkness, but I’d felt just as protected as I did right now.
I’d felt a moment of horror in noticing the blood on Hudson’s shirt, but the feeling had been quickly replaced with satisfaction. Seeing him standing two inches away wearing nothing but a towel had rekindled the breathtaking and freeing feeling of being so close to him.
He was a powerful man, capable of demanding respect with nothing more than the look in his eyes. Yet at this moment, his expression was one of raging desire. Perhaps another taste of the forbidden was exactly what we both needed.
The kiss was sweet at first; perhaps Hudson was fearful he would damage me. There was something entirely different than either time before, the kiss sharing a meaning with life and happiness instead of merely lust.
Yet we both felt that as well.
His hold was breathlessly possessive, keeping me crushed against the heat of his body while he explored my mouth.
Even the way his tongue dominated mine was more powerful than the night before. Perhaps he believed he owned at least a small part of me. If only just for tonight, that’s exactly what I wanted.
The heat building between us was explosive and my core was on fire.
Every inch of me tingled. I continued shuddering in his hold and rolled my hand over his shoulder.
Seeing the damage to his face had been heartbreaking, but I did remind myself that the man was rough and tumble.
More so than he carried himself inside a courtroom.
We were both breathless when he broke the kiss, panting and half laughing as the heat continued to rise. With the vibrations of the washing machine in the smaller space, the temperature used to wash his clothes, beads of sweat had formed on his forehead and the back of my neck.
Neither one of us seemed to care.
My actions no longer tentative, I pressed my index finger against his chest, slowly lowering my gaze to ensure he hadn’t been injured. He laughed softly when I offered a wicked smile, then growled when I tugged on the thick terry knot.
“Be careful, little miss Valentine.”
“Valentine, huh? And why should I be careful?” As the towel pooled around his feet, I bit my lower lip, although squelching my approval was impossible. He was dangerously handsome, so much so that when I was around him this way, I couldn’t think clearly.
Maybe I just didn’t want to.
The thought of escaping once again into the man was exactly what I needed. After darting a look into his lust-filled eyes, I rubbed the flat of my hand down his stomach, taking a few seconds to roll the tip around his belly button.
“Because I’m not in the mood to be gentle. Not after tonight. Not after…”
Tilting my head, I could feel the wickedness of my smile increasing just like the temperature in the room. Teasing him could become a pleasurable pastime. I brushed the tip of my finger across the sensitive slit in his thick cock and the sound of his growl deepened. “Who said you should be?”
His chest rose and fell as I traced the vein on the side of his shaft, even lightly rolling his testicles between my fingers. They were thick and heavy and my mouth watered as it had the second he’d walked into the room.
It had taken so much self-control not to join him in the shower. Apprehension and uncertainty had kept me from doing so. Seeing the blood as I’d tried to prerinse most of the ugly stains away had driven me deeper into need.
The moment I wrapped my hand around the base of his cock, he pushed my arms away, shaking his head as he did. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” The grit in his voice was such an incredible aphrodisiac. With his eyes never leaving mine, he yanked off my shirt, pitching it aside.
I was the one who had unfastened my khaki shirt, peeling the material away, but he wasn’t allowing the enjoyment of disrobing me to be taken away from him.
He pushed my hands aside as he’d done before and cupped my breasts through the thin lace of my bra.
How strange that the stench of barbeque sauce completely suffocated the coppery odor of dried blood.
He shoved me against the washing machine as he brushed his thumbs across my already aching nipples. When I was anywhere close to him, my entire body was electrified. Right now, I was so breathless stars had appeared dancing across my field of vision.
I did so adore the sounds he made, guttural and famished. When he dropped his head, I threw mine back so I could stare into his luminous eyes. The feel of his wet mouth as he sucked on my tender bud through the lace was insane.
“Mmm…” Silence was impossible, but I tried by chewing on my lower lip.
Hudson shifted to my other nipple, using his teeth to yank the material away from my areole. This time, he bit down on my tender tissue.
“Oh, my God.” The flash of pain was incredible. My thong was soaked, the scent floating between us.
Chuckling in a sound that created a thrum of pulses in my heart, he ripped my skirt past my thighs and immediately shoved a hand between my legs. “Are you wet for me?”
“Yes.” Why lie? I undulated against his hand, the friction unlike anything I’d experienced.
His eyes were shining as he swept them up and down the length of my body while rubbing with a practiced rhythm. With my legs hindered by my skirt, I felt trapped, yet there was no place I’d rather be.
He constantly lifted his gaze to study me, his jaw tightly clenched when he did. When I ran my fingers through his short-cropped hair, he seemed surprised. The way his face could light up, if only momentarily, was enough to keep the butterflies churning in my stomach.
Every time he touched me, his fingers and the lace against my labia kept me on edge, pushing me close to an orgasm, but he wasn’t ready for me to experience sheer bliss just yet.
He slipped his fingers under the thin elastic, taking his sweet time to roll the material over my hips, pushing it down to my thighs.
It was impossible to keep my eyes off his throbbing cock, the tip already purple with longing.
He brushed the flats of his hands along the outside of my legs leaving goosebumps in their wake.
The way he guided one foot then the other from my clothes kept filthy thoughts rushing through my mind.
Even his scent, so toxically masculine, testosterone mixing with a lasting fragrance of citrus and spice kept the heavy rush of adrenaline coursing through me.
When he’d kicked the clothes aside, he brushed the backs of his fingers on the insides of my legs, moving so slowly I couldn’t see any movement. Yet the tingles were extraordinary, keeping me quivering with anticipation.
Without any hesitation or bothering to close the laundry room door, he planted me on top of the washing machine.
Instantly, a series of vibrations peppered every inch of me.
He jerked my bottom to the edge with enough force I threw my hands behind me.
With my legs dangling off the machine, he moved between them.
“What are you doing?” Now a wave of embarrassment washed over me.
I’d never done anything this sinful in my life.