Chapter 7
7
BEAR
H e stripped himself bare, his skin shimmering under the soft amber glow of the room. With a low, heated hiss, he murmured as she tentatively reached out to trace the curve of his throbbing cock, “Not this time, little one,” he said gently. “There will be a time later where I’ll let you explore all you want.”
Sliding down beside her, he drew her into a long, lavish kiss; he brought their mouths together slowly, savoring every nuance of connection. Though his cock was hard as a rock, he was determined to luxuriate in every moment with her. She had begun to reclaim herself, taking her first bold step toward owning her desires—and he wasn’t about to repay that trust with a hurried, careless act. Instead, he vowed to demonstrate that her Dom was a patient, tender guide capable of showering her with affection and revealing the depth of his stirred heart.
Their tongues intertwined like delicate vines, warmth radiating through him as he pressed his body against hers. Balancing his weight, he allowed her legs to open naturally and slide over him. “Meri…” he entreated softly, uncertainty lingering in his voice.
She shook her head gently, but firmly. “I can’t do that tonight. Right now, I don’t need your gentleness. I need to just be your submissive—nothing more; nothing less.”
His gentle smile affirmed his willingness to honor her limits. If this was what she needed, then together they would explore the boundless possibilities of their union. “Baby, tonight you’re going to let me explore every inch of you. You are going to stay completely still and let me trace, touch and kiss every soft, sweet part of you.”
Searching his eyes with a serene, trusting gaze, she whispered, “I can be still.”
Even though his throbbing cock pressed insistently against her wet center—offering the promise of heaven with a single, simple thrust—he wasn’t going to rush. Their kiss deepened again before he moved his head, inhaling the intoxicating perfume of her neck with deliberate reverence as he made his way down her body.
Everything about Meri made him feel at home, even as a tender ache reminded him she hadn’t yet come to feel the same for him. Still, he was patient. With slow, deliberate kisses, he trailed from the sensitive curve of her neck down to the swell of her breast.
“When I’m done with you,” he vowed, “not one inch of you will have escaped my kiss.”
He traced a line with his lips toward her breast, his tongue teasing her nipple before a playful nip caused a soft hiss to escape her. He noticed her hands clenching the sheets as she fought to maintain her composure, a shuddering gasp accompanying each gentle suck and careful nip on her sensitive nipple.
Moving his exploration lower, he spread her legs wide and turned his attention to her inner sanctuary. His mouth descended with deliberate passion onto her, kissing her labia and flicking her clit with a tender, teasing lick that drew an audible gasp. Her arousal was unmistakable—her wet heat mingled with the heady scent of desire, nearly making him lose himself in its frenzy.
He feasted on the sweetness of her pussy, his tongue repeatedly dancing along her folds, savoring the honeyed essence of her arousal. Each delicate movement was a reminder of how divine it felt to honor her body with a loving Dom’s full, unhurried adoration.
Meri’s cry of release filled the room; her body trembled and then eased into a blissful stillness as she climaxed. Then it was his turn. Rising onto his knees, he gazed down at her with a mixture of something bordering on an intense adulation. Slowly, he reached over to the nightstand to retrieve a condom.
Before he could proceed, she grasped his hand. “They made sure I was clean and on birth control. No one got to use me without a condom.” In that moment, he saw a flash of pain in her eyes—a reminder of the past trauma she fought to suppress. “I want this. I want you,” she declared softly, her voice brimming with both ferocity and vulnerability.
She lay on the bed as the gentle glow of the lamp painted delicate shadows across her skin, each caress of light emphasizing every curve and dip of her graceful form. Her body was an exquisite portrait of desire, her legs invitingly spread, and the silver evidence of her ecstasy shimmering like dewdrops along the intimate contours of her heat.
In a low, husky tone, he murmured, “You are so fucking gorgeous,” as he shifted to nestle himself close to her center, his presence both commanding and tender. “Wrap your legs around me,” he urged, his voice thick with anticipation.
A soft, knowing smile played on her lips as her eyes softened with unspoken trust. Without hesitation, she complied, gracefully entwining herself around him as he slid his throbbing length over her sensitive clit, ensuring every inch was slick with desire.
Meri closed her eyes for a breathless moment as he pressed himself against her, commanding, “No, Meri. Look at me.”
Obediently, she lifted her gaze, her eyes meeting his with a blend of vulnerability and fierce longing.
“Good girl,” he crooned, his voice rich in both praise and passion as he thrust upward, intertwining their bodies in a connection that hinted both at wild abandon and a profound intimacy. He measured each upward motion carefully, balancing his desperate need to lose himself in her with the tender care her trust demanded.
He momentarily pulled back, his lips finding hers in a searing kiss before resuming his rhythm, enveloping her in an embrace of shared cadence that was uniquely theirs, yet felt like they had choreographed it over lifetimes. Every sigh that escaped her, every delicate touch of her hand, knit their souls closer together, a silent testament to her journey of healing from past traumas.
Then, with a cry that resonated deep within both of them, she whispered, “Daddy,” tightening around him as if anchoring herself to his strength.
The moment her recovery was apparent, he sensed her instinct to pull away. With a soothing but firm reprimand, he said, “No, baby. When I’m fucking you or when we’re playing, I am always Daddy. And you are forever my little one.”
Her eyes sparkled, and with a playful tilt of her head, she nestled closer, replying breathlessly, “Fuck me, Daddy.”
That single command shattered any remaining restraint within him. Though he longed for the lingering, tender sweetness of this shared recovery, the overwhelming desire surged too powerfully. He began a passionate, unyielding cadence of thrusts, each one echoing a fierce passion that, while bordering on intimidating, served only to ignite hers further.
Her moans morphed into soft, uncontrolled whispers as her body responded instinctively, her inner depths trembling and quivering with every deliberate surge of his body. With each rhythmic thrust, the symphony of her pleasure grew louder—her breath quickening, her soft whimpers building into a crescendo, as yet another wave of orgasm crested. In one final, powerful moment, her entire being tensed as he delivered one hard, ferocious thrust deep within her.
Meri’s ecstatic scream filled the room, her most intimate core spasming in response, clamping down with fervor as her legs quivered. In that singular, convergent moment, she milked every drop of intoxicating pleasure from him, clinging to his arms as his own climax unfurled over them like a fiery bloom.
In the final aftermath, Bear collapsed atop her, ensconced in the comforting warmth of her embrace.
“Thank you, Daddy,” she murmured coyly, with a playful, knowing smile that hinted at lingering mischief.
He let out a soft chuckle before rolling to his side, teasing gently, “Careful, little one—I wouldn’t mind spanking that pretty ass of yours again.”
Wrapped in the tender glow of post-passion, she snuggled even closer, her arms encircling him as she laid her head against his chest. In that quiet space, with the soft rhythm of their hearts echoing in the night, she drifted away into sleep, her breathing slow and content.
Bear woke to warmth. To the soft, delicate weight of Meri curled against him, her fingers entwined in the hair of his chest as if she wasn’t ready to let go. He stayed still for a long moment, inhaling the faint scent of lavender in her hair, feeling the rise and fall of her breath against his chest. It was the first time since he’d taken her from that hellhole that she’d slept deeply, fully, without nightmares or waking in a panic.
His grip tightened around her. She was safe. She was his. And he would keep it that way.
But safety wasn’t just about walls and locked doors. The warehouse was secure, but it was a temporary solution. Meri needed more than steel and concrete—she needed space to heal, a place to breathe. And he needed her somewhere he could watch her, care for her, own every single inch of her recovery. His loft was the best option.
Shifting carefully, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head before sliding out of bed. Meri murmured something in her sleep, her fingers flexing, but she didn’t wake. That trust—the unconscious knowledge that she was safe enough to sleep through his absence—settled deep in his chest.
He dressed quickly, pulling on jeans and a dark tee before stepping into the main room where Fitz sat at the small kitchen counter, sipping a coffee.
“She sleeping?” Fitz asked, without looking up.
Bear nodded. “For now. Isn’t sitting guard just a little under your pay grade?”
Fitz chuckled. “That’s the good thing about being the CEO. I’m the one that determines what is or isn’t done and by whom. It was me or Archer, and I figured I was the better choice.”
Smiling, Bear said, “Agreed. I want to move her to my place.”
Fitz arched a brow. “You sure about that? Your loft’s not exactly a fortress.”
“She doesn’t need a fortress. She needs a home.”
Fitz let out a slow breath, nodding in understanding. “And you need her under your roof.”
Bear didn’t respond because they both knew the answer.
Fitz took another sip of coffee. “DeLuca’s people are moving. We picked up some chatter about a retrieval team. They won’t stop, Bear.”
“They can try,” Bear growled. “But they won’t touch her.”
Fitz studied him for a long moment before shaking his head. “Jesus. You’re gone for her.”
Bear didn’t deny it. He didn’t need to. Instead, he turned and went back to the bedroom.
Meri was awake, propped up on one elbow, the sheets slipping down to reveal bare, golden skin marked with the faintest hint of last night’s pleasure. She blinked up at him, sleep-drunk and beautiful, her voice husky as she murmured, “What?”
Bear crouched beside the bed, brushing his knuckles over her cheek. “Get dressed, little one. We’re leaving.”
Her brow furrowed—not in fear, but in curiosity. “Leaving?”
“My place. You’ll be more comfortable.” He traced the edge of her jaw, watching the way her lips parted slightly beneath his touch. “And I’ll be able to keep a better eye on you.”
She swallowed, her pulse fluttering against his fingertips, but she didn’t argue. That in itself told him everything.
Fifteen minutes later, they were in his SUV, part of a three vehicle convoy, driving toward his loft.
Bear drove with the strategic focus that came from years of surviving hell. His SUV was the middle vehicle with Fitz leading, Archer bringing up the rear, and a small team dispersed between the two. The windows were bulletproof. The doors reinforced. Standard precautions for a high-value extraction… and Meri was the highest value of all.
She sat rigid in the passenger seat, her hands clenched in her lap, her eyes flicking to every shadow, every passing vehicle. She felt it too. The unease. The wrongness in the air.
Bear’s grip on the wheel tightened. They were ten minutes out from the loft when his gut twisted.
“Heads up,” Archer’s voice came over the comms, voice low, calm. “Tail at five o’clock; he’s been on us for three blocks.”
“Got it,” Fitz responded. “Another at seven. Bear, you see anything?”
Bear’s voice came through, dark and clipped. “Shit. There’s a third at one o’clock.”
His jaw clenched. Ambush.
Then came the hit.
The world exploded in sound and motion as a truck barreled out of an alley and slammed into the right side of Fitz’s SUV, sending it spinning. Tires screeched. Metal crunched. A second truck rammed Archer’s SUV from behind.
Then impact.
The third truck slammed into Bear’s vehicle broadside, shoving them hard into the curb. Airbags deployed, punching the air from Bear’s lungs. Meri yelped beside him, but she was already moving, bracing, thinking. Good girl.
“Move!” Fitz roared over comms. Gunfire erupted.
Bear reached under his seat, yanking the spare Glock from its holster, then turned to Meri. “You know how to use this?”
She swallowed hard, but there was no fear in her eyes. “Yeah,” she rasped. “Archer taught me.”
Bear shoved the gun into her hands, his fingers tightening over hers, making sure she felt his control, his command. “Stay low. Stay close. You shoot if you have to.”
She gave one sharp nod. “Got it.”
Bear shoved open his door and fired.
One. Two. Drop.
The first two bastards went down before they could register the counterattack. The others scrambled, using their trucks as cover. Across the street, Fitz and his team were already engaged, bullets destroying the quiet of the morning. Archer had pushed his SUV into a defensive angle, using the reinforced frame for cover as he and his team laid down suppressive fire.
“Four o’clock!” Archer called. “Coming in fast!”
Another truck screeched around the corner, blocking their exit.
“Meri, cover me!” Bear barked.
She didn’t hesitate. Sliding low, keeping herself small, she lifted the Glock and fired. The shot clipped one of the men’s arms, spinning him back behind the truck.
Perfect. Bear used the opening, lunging forward, taking out another with a brutal shot to the knee before grabbing him by the collar and slamming him against the truck.
“Who sent you?”
The man coughed, blood trailing down his temple. “Who the fuck do you think?”
Bear’s grip tightened around the man’s collar. “Where’s DeLuca?”
The bastard just laughed. “You’re already too late.”
Bear pressed the muzzle to his forehead. “Try again.”
The man’s smirk faltered. “He’s coming for her,” he rasped. “And there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Bear repositioned the gun, aiming it at the man’s shoulder, then pulled the trigger.
No hesitation. No mercy. The man went down screaming.
Gunfire still sounded through what had been a relatively silent morning. Fitz and Archer, along with their teams, held the enemy, but remained pinned down. The SUVs were compromised. They needed an exit now.
Bear turned back to Meri. She was still crouched low, gun steady, breath coming in sharp, shallow bursts. But her hands weren’t shaking.
She had held her ground.
Bear’s blood burned. She wasn’t just surviving—she was fighting.
He grabbed her, pulling her against his chest, feeling the wild hammering of her pulse beneath his grip.
His voice dropped into something dark and possessive, a promise. A vow. “You belong to me,” he murmured, threading his fingers into her hair, tilting her chin up so she had no choice but to see the truth in his eyes. “And no one takes what’s mine.”
She didn’t fight him. Didn’t pull away.
She nodded.
Bear turned, scanning the street. The fight was still raging, but Fitz had already started moving toward the last working SUV, covering Archer as they cut a path through the remaining men.
Bear’s grip tightened on Meri’s wrist. “Run.”
They moved as one.
Gunfire chased them. Glass shattered.
Bear didn’t stop. Didn’t hesitate. He threw open the door to the SUV, shoving Meri inside before sliding in behind her.
“Go! Now!” Fitz shouted from outside the driver’s door.
The tires screamed as the SUV peeled away, bullets ricocheting off the reinforced panels. Bear watched the wreckage fade behind them, but he knew this wasn’t over. DeLuca had made his first move—it wouldn’t be his last.
Meri sat beside him, still clutching the Glock, her breathing fast but controlled. Blood splattered across the front of her shirt—none of it hers—but her hands weren’t shaking. That was what mattered.
She met his gaze, fierce and unflinching. "Where are we going?"
"Home," he said, voice gravelly as he wove through the traffic, eyes flicking between the road and the rearview mirror. No immediate signs of pursuit, but he wasn’t na?ve enough to think DeLuca’s men were done. In the distance, he could hear the wail of sirens.
"Are they following?" she asked.
"Not yet," Bear muttered, taking the next turn hard, weaving through the side streets. It wouldn’t take Fitz long to be on comms, disabling traffic cameras and preventing them from being tagged. Until then, it was just him and Meri, relying on instinct and skill.
Meri wiped the back of her hand across her forehead, smearing blood she didn’t seem to notice. Her knuckles were white from how tightly she was gripping the gun.
Bear reached across the center console, his hand locking around her thigh. "You with me, little one?"
Her lips parted slightly, her body still vibrating from the fight, but she nodded. "I’m with you."
A deep, primal satisfaction settled in his gut. She wasn’t breaking. She was rising. He pressed down on the gas, pushing the SUV harder, feeling the satisfying growl of the engine beneath him. The chase wasn’t over yet.
Meri exhaled sharply, forcing herself to focus. "I should be panicking right now," she said with a touch of awe in her voice as she glanced down at the gun still in her grip. "But I’m not."
Bear took another sharp turn before answering. “You were never meant to be someone’s victim, baby,” Bear said. "You’re remembering who the hell you are."
Her throat bobbed, something flickering in her eyes—recognition, maybe even understanding.
Bear kept his grip firm on her leg, grounding her, keeping her connected to him. "You did good," he murmured. "You held your ground, and you gave me the cover I needed."
Her chin lifted slightly as she gave him a cheeky grin. "I hate to damage your ego, but I wasn’t really covering for you. I would not let them take me again."
He grinned back. “Brat.”
He delighted in the fact that she felt like she could tease him, but even more because she hadn’t just depended on him to save her. No. She’d been willing to do what it took to save herself.
Bear reached the last stretch of road leading to his loft, a converted brewery overlooking the lake. The security was tight, both the underground parking and elevator requiring a key fob to access the building. The elevator had two doors—one front, one back. The one at the front opened onto the first two floors. The first floor appeared to be a working brewery. There had been some talk among Cerberus staff of actually trying to brew their own beer. The second floor was comprised of a large conference room and behind thick, reinforced steel walls, a massive armory and a secure storage area.
The other opened into the foyer of his unit—an enormous penthouse loft with a private rooftop deck. An access code was required to enter the loft from the foyer. No one got in or out without him knowing. Bear knew it was one of the few places in the city where Meri could breathe without looking over her shoulder.
He pulled into the underground garage, scanning the shadows before killing the engine. He turned to Meri, his expression unreadable.
"Are we clear?" she asked.
Bear gave her a slow nod. "For now."
But he knew this wasn’t over. DeLuca had made his move, and Bear had no doubt the bastard was already regrouping. But DeLuca wasn’t the only predator in this game.
Bear unbuckled and reached for Meri, his large hands gripping her hips as he lifted her across the center console and onto his lap. She stiffened slightly at the sudden shift in control, but she didn’t resist.
Her wide eyes searched his. "Bear…"
"You listen to me," he said, voice dark and full of the authority she was learning to surrender to. "I don’t give a damn what’s coming next. No one takes you from me. Not DeLuca. Not his men. Not the ghosts in your head telling you you’re still running. No one."
Her breath hitched, her fingers curling against his chest. "I wasn’t running," she whispered.
Bear stroked a hand up her back, tilting her chin higher. "I know, little one. You fought." His lips brushed the shell of her ear as he murmured, "And you won."
She let out a shuddering breath, her body sinking slightly into him.
Bear gave her another moment before shifting her off his lap and opening the door. "Come on, time to get you inside."
She climbed out, her legs unsteady for half a second before she straightened. Bear kept his hand on her lower back as they made their way to the private elevator. The doors slid open with a quiet chime, and he pressed the key fob against the panel.
The ride up was silent. Meri stood close, her body still humming with adrenaline, her fingers twitching slightly at her sides. Bear watched her reflection in the polished steel doors, the way she clenched her jaw, the way she held herself together through sheer force of will.
The elevator doors slid open, revealing his loft—a sprawling, open-concept space with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the lake. The city lights reflected off the water, casting soft shadows across the hardwood floors.
Bear watched her walk toward his room, his gut tightening as she disappeared inside.
DeLuca had made his move. Now it was Bear’s turn.