Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
“ O h my God, Levi,” Kasi breathed.
Levi tested the rope binding her wrists to his headboard…and tightened it more.
Kasi’s chest rose and fell rapidly, her body writhing on the bed so seductively, he thought he’d lose his mind.
“I didn’t realize,” she said, panting, “when I told you my fantasies, you’d try to make them all come true immediately.”
Levi chuckled. It had been a week since he’d taken Kasi’s virginity, and a week since she’d rattled off a list of fantasies that proved his girl’s dreams were a hell of a lot less innocent than her body.
He hadn’t intended to start knocking things off that list right away, given she was new to sex, but she’d planted all those damn seeds. So many that the images of her fantasies had woven their way into his psyche, until he was nearly consumed by the desires she’d drawn in his mind.
Pursuit. Capture. Submission. Bondage. Punishment.
Every single word she’d spoken had practically imprinted on his dick, the fucking thing functioning at half-mast this week, never getting completely soft. Ever.
So that was why he’d cornered her in the barn on Sunday afternoon. They’d been completely alone—Keith at a buddy’s house and Mr. Mills tucked in his room—and before he could think through his actions, he’d bent her at the waist and told her to hold on to a shelf, while he spanked and finger-fucked her to an orgasm.
Those fantasies were also why, when she’d shown up at his farmhouse earlier tonight—on her own and as a surprise—he’d decided to reward her impetuousness by dragging her upstairs and tying her to his bed.
“Oh my God,” she repeated, louder, when he wrapped his lips around one of her nipples.
He’d told her to remain perfectly silent, since all six of his brothers were home—some downstairs in the living room, some in their bedrooms.
Levi narrowed his eyes. “Not a sound,” he reminded her.
Kasi pursed her lips closed but, given her flushed cheeks and the way she pressed her legs together, Levi didn’t expect her to succeed in remaining quiet when he really got started. His girl was a yeller. And he liked it.
“Please,” she whispered, attempting to wrap her legs around his waist, to draw him down to her. She had some serious submission issues that he needed to address. Levi wouldn’t call himself a Dom or anything. Sex with past lovers had always been an equal give-and-take of pleasure, but with Kasi, Levi didn’t just want to be in charge. He needed to.
“That’s it.” Levi rose from the bed, searching the floor until he found what he was seeking. Picking up the panties he’d pulled off her only a few minutes ago, Levi balled them up and approached her. “Open your mouth.”
Kasi’s gaze drifted to what he was holding. When she realized what was in his hand, her eyes widened briefly and a low moan escaped.
He bent over her, bracing one hand on the mattress. Kasi’s lips parted quickly—willingly—and she offered no resistance when he pushed her damp panties into her mouth as a gag.
“See how sweet you are?” he asked, aware she was tasting her own juices on the cotton.
Kasi nodded, her vision slightly unfocused.
Seven days. That was how long they’d been lovers.
Levi had taken her every single one of those days, addicted to her scent, her soft moans, her kisses, and her oh-so-tight pussy.
Tonight, he’d worked later than usual, not returning home until nearly nine. He realized by the time he’d have showered and driven down the mountain, Kasi would be crawling into bed. The dark circles under her eyes had begun to fade, but Levi wouldn’t rest until they were completely gone. He’d heard the disappointment in her voice when he called to tell her he wasn’t coming to see her. It bothered him so much, he’d been on the verge of telling her he’d changed his mind when she spoke first, saying something like “a night apart won’t kill us.”
Those felt like the most wrong words Kasi had ever spoken.
And she must have come to the same conclusion because thirty minutes after saying goodbye and hanging up, she’d been knocking on his door, laughing when she realized he was putting on his shoes, planning to come see her.
She looked slightly shocked when he’d immediately dragged her to his bedroom, not even giving her a chance to say hello to his brothers, then shown her the soft rope he’d bought at the hardware store with her in mind.
The sweet girl had initially made a token attempt at being demure, pretending to be scandalized by the suggestion, even though her grin gave her away. Then she’d taken off all her clothes and placed herself on her back in the middle of his bed, her hands resting on the pillow beneath her head, palms up in surrender. His own personal, beautiful lamb to the slaughter.
Kasi mumbled something around her gag that sounded like “pulley, pulley.” Given the pleading look on her face, he figured out she was saying, “Please.”
Levi shook his head, then lowered his face until he could issue a sharp nip to her earlobe.
Kasi stopping begging, falling silent.
“Good girl,” he breathed into her ear. “No one hears your orgasms except me. If my brothers heard…” He let his words fall away, noting the menace in his tone. This newfound jealousy was going to take some getting used to.
Levi slid down her body, running his tongue through the valley of her breasts and dipping it into her belly button—prompting a giggle—before hitting the jackpot. Her hips lifted, her legs spread wide as he knelt between them.
She gasped, but the sound was muffled enough that Levi let it pass without comment.
Going down on Kasi had become his favorite pastime, as he loved the unabashed way she responded to his licks, bites, and pinches. For several minutes, he used his mouth and fingers to drive her to the edge. Whenever she got close, he backed off, denying her the orgasm she craved.
Peering over her body, he grinned as she threw her head back in frustration. Without the gag, Kasi would have given him one hell of a dressing down. Her silence told him just how deep she wanted to travel into this fantasy.
He’d been blown away by how easily she’d thrown open the door to her darkest desires…and by how closely they mirrored his own.
Kasi wanted to be chased and taken without verbal consent. Levi wanted to hunt.
Kasi wanted to be bound and gagged, edged until she was out of control. Levi wanted to tie the knots.
Kasi wanted to be called baby girl and spanked. Levi wanted her over his lap.
She also wanted to be praised and called his good girl, and damn if Levi didn’t already consider the woman his.
Their gazes connected when she lifted her head, curious about why he’d stopped.
“The only place you’re coming tonight is on my dick,” he warned her.
Kasi nodded eagerly before a muffled moan escaped as he lowered his face to her pussy, diving in for more.
After half a dozen near misses, Levi finally showed her some mercy. But only because he was at the breaking point himself.
He rose from the bed, stripping quickly. Her body relaxed when he returned, and he was thrilled by the complete trust she showed him. She was bound, gagged, completely at his mercy, and yet when she looked at him, all he could see was trust. No fear or apprehension painted her expression. Instead, Kasi told him with her eyes that she knew he would take care of her, that he would never hurt her.
Crawling between her outstretched thighs, he guided his cock to her wet, hot opening. Kasi lifted her legs, wrapping them around his waist, giving him easier access.
Missionary had become one of Kasi’s favorites because it meant the head of his dick stroked her G-spot on every return.
While a large part of him wanted to continue the teasing, wanted to draw this out longer, he decided tonight should be a quickie. For one thing, it was getting late and they’d both worked long hours today. And for another, his brothers were in the house, and Levi didn’t fool himself into thinking they’d achieve complete silence so, yeah…best to get her there fast.
Levi thrust in roughly, just the way Kasi liked. He knew what his movement would prompt, so he’d been ready. Covering her mouth with his hand, he further muted her loud groan of pleasure.
Kasi’s eyes flew open when she felt his hand. He might have thought he’d pushed her too far, if not for her pussy clenched tightly around him. She liked his hand over her mouth, the action pushing her even deeper into her fantasy.
Fuck, if this woman wasn’t perfect for him.
Levi kept his hand in place, moving his hips faster, his thrusts short but deep, stroking her G-spot over and over, until her eyes fell shut and she tumbled headlong into her orgasm. Typically, Levi slowed his motions at this point, mentally holding on for dear life to keep from following her into the chasm. Tonight, he let her pull him down, his body jerking once, twice, three times as he unloaded his come inside her.
Levi gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before drawing the makeshift panties gag out of her mouth. The smile Kasi blessed him with—while tired—was full and bright and breathtaking.
“That was amazing,” she whispered, her hands quickly slipping down his chest and around to his ass the second he untied her.
Levi fell to her side, drawing her into the crook of his arm as he placed soft kisses on the top of her head. He tried to find his own words to describe what they’d just shared, quickly realizing none of them did the evening justice.
In the end, words weren’t necessary because Kasi was asleep within seconds, her soft breath tickling the hair on his chest.
He lay there for at least an hour, willing his own slumber to arrive. He’d risen at the ass crack of dawn, working in the vineyard, so he couldn’t understand why he was so wired. Because, Jesus, if a hard day of work followed by explosive sex couldn’t produce a sound sleep, what the hell could?
When his restlessness threatened to wake Kasi, Levi gently disengaged himself, sliding out from beneath her.
Rising from the bed, he stepped over to the window, glancing out at the valley below. There was only a faint bit of light provided from tonight’s half-moon, so it wasn’t hard to see the headlights that flashed in the distance.
Because the family wanted to ensure their homes remained private, they had opened the brewery and the winery below them, on the side of the mountain. That meant, the only traffic on the roads beyond both businesses was from family, friends, and the patrons who stayed at the B&B or rented the cabins sprinkled all around the mountainside.
Their vantage point above the businesses also afforded them a bird’s-eye view of the properties below. While there was a grove of trees between the house and the brewery, they’d been cleared back enough that Levi still had a fairly decent view of half of the rear, as well as one whole side of the building. He could also see a piece of the parking lot.
Headlights flashed again.
Someone was down there.
Levi quickly and quietly dressed, stealing one last peek of Kasi, who was sound asleep. She was a beautiful woman, but never so much as now, when she looked so peaceful.
Stepping out into the hallway, he closed the door then traveled down the hall. Levi knocked softly on Theo’s door.
“Yeah?”
Levi opened it, peering in. Theo was shirtless in just lounge pants, sitting propped on a pillow, looking at his phone.
Theo glanced up when Levi caught his eye, then his brother gave him a guilty grin as he turned the cell screen toward him. “Candy Crush. It’s fucking addictive. Don’t judge me.”
Levi chuckled. “No judgment here. Hey, did you close the brewery gate when you locked up?”
Theo frowned. “Of course, I did. Why?”
Like Levi’s, Theo’s bedroom faced the front yard. He rose from the bed, joining Levi by one of the windows. “I saw headlights in the parking lot.”
“Don’t see anything now, so—” Theo paused when, once again, headlights flashed in the distance, clearly coming from the brewery. “Shit. I’ll go check it out.”
“I’ll come with you,” Levi offered.
Theo threw on a T-shirt and slid his feet into a well-worn pair of sneakers. “Too old to go all night?” he teased, referring to the guest currently sleeping in Levi’s bed.
He punched his brother on the shoulder. “Actually, I’m so good, I wore her out.”
Theo snorted, then struck an Incredible Hulk pose. “Must run in the family.”
Theo and Levi took the dirt path through the woods, the most direct route between the farmhouse and the brewery, walking at a brisk pace.
Once they reached the edge of the woods, they paused, taking in their surroundings. All they could see now was the dim yellow light cast from the lamppost out front. Given they stood behind the building, the majority of the parking lot was blocked by the brewery.
They were about to head to the front when they heard hushed voices a few hundred yards away from them.
Once Levi’s vision adjusted to the darkness, he was able to make out a lone shape moving at the far end of the building from where they stood.
“Window?” Theo whispered.
Levi nodded, his thoughts traveling the same direction as Theo’s. There was a window at that end of the building that opened into a newly created office. Theo was in the process of hiring an events manager for the farm’s businesses, and since he would also serve as that employee’s supervisor, the family had decided to put a new office next to Theo’s in the brewery. Either that new window hadn’t been locked, or whoever was currently leaning into it had jimmied it open.
Staring beyond the figure, Levi spotted two motorcycles. That explained the headlights.
Theo made a gesture with his hand, indicating that he’d go the long way around the building, while Levi made his way quietly along the line of trees. Once they were in position, they’d trap whoever these guys were between them.
Levi considered holding Theo back and suggesting they call the sheriff, but it was clear the thieves weren’t big guys. Most likely, it was a couple of local teenagers stealing a case of beer.
Teens were the reason they’d installed a gate on the parking lot in the first place. Last year, a few guys from the local high school had decided to use the huge lot for makeshift drag races. Levi wasn’t sure how the idiots thought they could get away with something like that for more than one night. The peeling tires and sharp squeal of brakes had woken his entire family—in all three farmhouses.
Levi heard the telltale sound of clinking bottles as a second person passed a case of beer through the window.
Yep. It was kids stealing beer. He watched as Theo stealthily crossed to the side of the building, making his way to the front before disappearing from view. Levi gave his brother until the count of fifteen to make his way around the front of the brewery and sneaking closer.
The thieves didn’t seem content with just one case because, as Levi watched, another was handed out.
“We said one case. How are we going to get both of these home?” the guy standing outside asked his accomplice. “No way we can carry all of this on the bikes.”
Before his buddy could reply, Theo stepped around the corner—prompting the kid outside to run directly into Levi’s arms.
The boy had his hoodie up, his face lowered, but damn if the kid didn’t put up a fight, kicking Levi in the shin… hard .
Levi grasped the boy’s arm, lifting him slightly and shaking him. “Settle the fuck down,” he growled. Glancing over the boy’s shoulder, he saw Theo had the other kid by the scruff of the neck.
He turned toward Levi and called out, “It’s Archie Carter.”
He scowled when he heard the name of Keith’s best friend. Reaching up, Levi tugged down the hoodie, unsurprised to find Kasi’s brother glaring up at him.
“You good?” he yelled back to Theo.
“Yeah. Me and Arch are going inside the brewery to place a call to his dad.”
Archie’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “Please don’t do that, Theo. He’ll kill me! Seriously.”
Levi knew Gerry Carter quite well, as the two of them had been teammates on Gracemont High School’s football team, when Levi was a freshman and Gerry a senior. As such, he knew Gerry, a local carpenter, would put the boy to work on whatever construction project he was currently on, giving the kid the shit jobs to ensure Archie never did anything like this again. Regardless of the boy’s freaking out, Levi was quite confident Archie would survive the night after Theo’s call.
That was when Levi realized his brother got the better end of this adventure, especially when Keith tried to shake off his grip again.
“What good is running going to do? I caught you red-handed. It’s not like you can lie your way out of this,” Levi pointed out calmly, silently debating with himself on exactly how to handle this situation.
Unlike Archie, who was facing definite punishment, Levi wasn’t sure the same would hold true for Keith. He recalled Kasi’s comment that her mother had been a strict parent, the one to mete out all discipline. When he paired that with the fact that most of Keith’s infractions since Mrs. Mills’ passing had been related to Kasi—who definitely hadn’t shared the details with her father—it was easy to see the boy hadn’t faced any consequences for his actions of late.
So Levi was left with two choices: tell Kasi what her brother had done and force her to handle it, or deal with this situation on his own.
He knew instantly which option he was taking.
He held out his hand. “Key.”
Keith frowned, confused.
“Give me the key to your bike.”
Keith scoffed. “Fuck off!”
Levi moved fast, his grip on Keith’s arm impenetrable as he shoved the boy against the rear wall of the building. “Key,” he repeated through gritted teeth. “You’re not getting off this mountain until the two of us have a talk. Man to man.”
Whatever adrenaline or anger Keith had been holding on to faded, and he reached into the front pocket of his jeans, pulling out the key.
Levi slipped it into his own pocket. “If I let go of you, are you going to be a stupid jackass and try to run? Bear in mind, I know where you live.”
Keith sighed. “I won’t run.”
Levi loosened his grip then let go, braced and ready to nab the kid again if he was lying.
Keith slumped against the back of the brewery. “We were only taking a case. Or…”
Archie had clearly been the greedy one, going back for the second case.
Levi glanced over, shaking his head. “And how did you plan to get a case of beer off the mountain on motorcycles?”
Keith lifted his chin toward his bike. “Strapped duffels to the back of them.”
Now that he was closer, Levi noticed the canvas bags hanging on the motorcycles.
“You forget you’re underage?” Levi asked.
Keith rolled his eyes like the smart-ass he was. “You telling me you never drank when you were my age?”
Levi and his brother Sam had snuck more than their fair share of beers from their dad and granddad’s stash when they were in their teens. Enough that both men had probably noticed. But since he and Sam always consumed that beer at home, never operating a vehicle afterward, they’d never been formally busted.
Instead, his dad had pulled them aside and told them he’d cut up their driver’s licenses himself if he ever caught wind of them driving under the influence. Told them there was nothing wrong with drinking a beer from time to time as long as they were smart about it and didn’t drink to excess.
Given their close proximity, Levi could smell the tang of beer on Keith’s breath, which told him that he and Archie had already helped themselves to some of the beer or—more disturbing—they’d drunk beer before deciding to drive up the mountain on their motorcycles to steal from Levi’s family.
“I never broke into a business and stole beer,” Levi said, rather than answering Keith’s question. “You ride your bikes around the locked gate?”
Keith’s silence told him they did.
“How much have you already had to drink?”
Keith opened his mouth, ready to deny having any, so Levi saved him the bother of trying.
“I can smell it on your breath.”
Keith closed his lips as if to block the scent.
“How much?”
“Only one,” Keith said, though Levi didn’t believe the kid. Why would he? Keith had done nothing but go out of his way to be a thorn in Levi’s side, and he’d done a great job making Kasi’s life difficult.
“One?” he repeated.
“Yes,” Keith insisted. “One, okay? Me and Archie cracked open a couple when we got inside, so we could decide which ones we wanted…”
“To steal,” Levi finished when Keith didn’t.
“Are you going to tell Kasi?”
Levi hadn’t expected that question. Or rather, he hadn’t expected the tone behind it, the sadness lacing the words.
Rather than reply—because honestly, he hadn’t made up his mind about Kasi’s involvement—Levi crossed his arms. “What the hell is going on inside your head, Keith? Why are you doing all this shit?”
Keith looked away, and Levi figured silence was the only response he was going to get…so he was surprised when Keith ran a hand through his hair and replied, “I don’t know why.”
It was a quiet admission, and Levi considered pushing for more. Then he realized Keith seemed to be genuinely searching for an answer, so he simply stood there, giving the kid time to think.
“I miss her.”
Any annoyance or anger Levi harbored toward Kasi’s kid brother vanished in an instant after those three small words. “I know you do.”
Keith refused to look at him, swallowing heavily. “I know this will make me sound like a pussy, but my mama was my best friend.”
Levi shook his head. “Doesn’t make you a pussy at all. I’m close to my mom too.”
“It’s just…when she died,” Keith blinked rapidly, fighting hard not to cry, “I got so fucking mad .”
“Anger is a big part of grieving,” Levi started.
Keith shook his head. “No. I wasn’t mad because she died. I was mad at her for dying, for leaving me. If she was sick, why didn’t she go to the doctor? And then I got mad at my dad for just…fucking disappearing. And…”
“And Kasi?”
“I got mad at her because she didn’t cry at the funeral. Not once. It was like she didn’t care at all!”
Levi reached out and put his hand on Keith’s shoulder. “That’s not true, Keith. You know that. Kasi is just as devastated as you are.”
Keith scoffed. “Yeah, right. She didn’t shed a damn tear. Then, a few days after the funeral, she goes right back to work like nothing happened. Like Mama never existed at all.”
Levi recalled Kasi recounting the days following her mother’s funeral. How Keith had struck out, how her father had taken to his room, how she’d been left to try to hold them all together. Keith had interpreted his sister’s strength as apathy. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
“Kasi misses your mother every bit as much as you do. People grieve differently, but that doesn’t mean their pain isn’t just as real. Kasi has spent the last eight months fighting like hell to hold it together. For you and your dad.”
Keith lowered his head. “I know that.”
“You do?”
For the first time, Keith lifted his face, his gaze meeting Levi’s. “Yeah, but by the time I realized that, it was too late.”
Levi frowned, confused. “Too late for what?”
“I said some really awful things to her. Kept getting into trouble around town. I’ve been this person for so long now, I don’t remember how to be…”
Levi squeezed his shoulder again. “Who you used to be?”
Keith nodded.
“I don’t think you’re ever going to be the guy you were before your mom died, but you were never going to be him forever anyway. That’s just a part of growing up. Experiences change you, mold you. It’s up to you how you let the bad times shape you, Keith.”
The kid’s lower lip quivered. “I don’t like this shape.”
“Then change it.”
Keith shook his head. “You don’t know what I said to Kasi. I can’t ask her to forgive me for it. It was…too mean.”
Levi didn’t share that he knew exactly what Keith had said, how he’d blamed her for their mother’s death. “She’s your sister, and she loves you. More than that, she misses you. You say you’re sorry to her, and I can guarantee you’ll get a clean slate. That’s how family works.”
Keith fell silent for a moment. “What if I don’t deserve a clean slate?”
Levi smiled. “Your sister is headstrong. If she wants to give it to you, by God, she will. And she won’t rest until you take it.”
Finally, Keith smiled, laughing a little. “You’re right. She will. She got that from Mama.” Then he sighed. “Are you going to tell Kasi about this?” he asked again.
Levi shook his head. “No. I’m not.”
“Thanks. And I’ll try to stop being such a pain in the ass. ’Cause I think she’s got something else going on that’s stressing her out.”
“Like what?” Levi asked, concerned.
“I don’t know. It’s got something to do with the mayor. He keeps stopping by the house and the fruit stand. I think he’s bothering her.”
Levi recalled Scottie shooting him dirty looks at Whiskey Abbey. He’d thought the man’s disdain was due to the Lucy dustup, but now he wondered if it had more to do with Kasi.
“Why is he stopping by?” Levi asked.
Keith shrugged. “I don’t know. I asked Kasi, but I think she lied about the reason.”
“What did she say?”
“Few times, she said he was just drumming up votes for reelection.”
“Sounds plausible to me,” Levi countered.
“The last time, she said Scottie was stopping by to get a recipe for his mom.”
Levi nodded, relieved that it sounded like Keith was making something out of nothing.
Keith narrowed his eyes at Levi’s lack of concern. “ You ever seen Mrs. Grover cook anything?”
That comment gave Levi reason to pause. Because Mrs. Grover paid one of the local women to prepare meals for her family and, while Gracemont was typically slow to change, a couple young people had started doing DoorDash deliveries around town because the Grovers ordered out enough to keep them busy.
Keith continued proving his point. “She brought that fancy-ass sushi from that expensive restaurant in Leesburg to the town picnic. Sushi, for God’s sake. And when Mama died, and all the women in Gracemont were dropping off casseroles and other food, Mrs. Grover had a pizza delivered to our house. We’ve been neighbors for nearly twenty years, and she couldn’t even be bothered to come pay her respects in person. Not that I give a shit,” he was quick to add, “but you have to admit that’s cold.”
“It is.”
Uneasiness settled over Levi as he considered what the real reason for Scottie’s visits might be. He supposed Kasi could have been telling her brother the truth. After all, Scottie was up for reelection. And it was possible his mother had wanted a recipe to pass on to someone else to make for her.
But Kasi never mentioned Scottie stopping by to him. Why?
Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to think about it because right now, there was another Mills sibling to worry about. He walked over to the window Keith and Archie had pried open with a crowbar. He bent over to pick it up, and Keith’s shoulders sagged with shame.
“I’ll pay to replace the window,” Keith said.
“You’re right. You will. But not with money. It’s harvest time, and we can always use a couple extra strong backs. Don’t make any plans for Saturday, and tell Archie to do the same.”
Keith groaned, making it clear he’d rather just come up with the cash, but he didn’t refuse.
Levi tossed the crowbar aside, reaching down to pull a couple of beers out of the case Archie had abandoned when he’d tried to run. Popping the caps on them, he walked over to Keith and handed him one, the two of them leaning against the back of the building side by side.
“Theo will probably give Archie a ride home when he realizes you two have been drinking. You can hop in with them or crash on my couch,” Levi said, as he tapped his bottle against Keith’s. “By the way, we’re not telling your sister about this, either.”
Keith grinned, the two of them taking a drink.
“You going to marry Kasi?”
Levi nodded without a moment’s hesitation. Because that was exactly what he was going to do. “I am. You okay with that?”
Keith’s response came just as quick. “Yeah. Better you than Scottie.”
Levi hated that answer as much as he liked it.
What the hell was going on between Kasi and the mayor?