Chapter 23
TWENTY-THREE
SNIPER
I’m damn glad she’s in my corner.
I can see my words have hit her, and the anger in her blue eyes clears. She doesn’t back down or away from me, just continues to stare up at me, her eyes searching mine. “I’m sorry,” she says after another moment. “You’re right, I shouldn’t be looking at it so narrow-mindedly. But you have to understand, Sniper, I have spent most of my career being pushed to the background, or put in a role my team felt was a woman’s job. So it’s a touchy subject and I refuse to do that ever again. It’s one of the fastest ways to push me right out the door.”
I relax at that, but I can’t help adding, “I don’t intentionally do that, Thea. I know you can handle yourself. But that doesn’t mean that I want to thrust you into danger, either. You’ve been through enough, and whether you like it or not, you are far more likely to suffer than I am. Vlad isn’t going to take me and torture me. He’s going to kill me so I’m no longer a threat. But he won’t do that with you. He and Nikolai will draw it out and I can’t handle the thought of you being in that situation because I put you there.”
“Even if something like that happened, that wouldn’t be your fault,” she argues. “Listen, Grayson, you and I, we are cut from the same cloth, whether you like to admit it or not. We are going to throw ourselves in front of danger, not hide from it. So you need to have the same faith in me that I have in you. That neither of us are going to be taken unaware and we’re going to fight tooth and nail. If you and the club need me to watch over the women and kids, then fine, because you’re right, those women and kids are important, and they’ve already been through too much. I’ve been through my own shit, but it also made me stronger and I won’t allow myself to be caught unaware again. And that means I expect you to keep yourself safe too.” She gives me a teasing smile. “We need to at least see if we can make it to that first hip replacement.”
I chuckle, reaching out to wrap my arm around her waist and haul her into me. She places her hands on my chest, and the touch of her fingers on my skin feels like a brand. “No worries on that, baby girl,” I assure her, my free hand coming up to tangle into her hair at the back of her head. I give it a gentle tug and her eyes go molten in response. “And as for that hip replacement, if I need one because you’re using me all the time, I’ll be making sure to get one that’s top of the line to make sure I can keep up with you,” I rasp softly.
She shivers, and her fingers curl, her nails digging into my skin. “Might want to make it bionic then,” she croaks out when I use my grip to tilt her head to the side and lean down to scrape my teeth along her jawline. “Because I have a feeling I’m going to be putting it through its paces. You know, if your old heart can keep up. Might want to have them look at that too just in case.”
I chuckle, nipping at her in retaliation. My cock hardens and I know she can feel it when she sways her hips against me. “Baby girl, I’ll be fucking you for the rest of my life if I have my way, and if my heart gives out, then I can’t think of a better way to die. But until then, I’ll just have to keep myself in the best shape possible, won’t I?” I purr.
“Mmhmm,” she replies absently as she tilts her head further as I move my mouth down her neck.
Looks like we’re done talking, thank fuck. Because I definitely want to continue what we started earlier.
I lift my head to put my mouth on hers, and everything else melts away. Desperation has us tearing at each other’s clothes, my hand leaving her hair, and our mouths parting only long enough to get entirely naked before we come back together hungrily. I waste no time in gripping her ass and lifting her up into my arms, groaning at the feel of her center pressing against my hard cock. I can feel how wet she is, and I can’t wait to sink inside her; to feel all that wet heat surrounding me.
I turn us, letting us fall back onto the bed. I pull my mouth from hers, and lower it to one hard nipple, taking it into my mouth and giving just enough suction to have her arching into me, and her legs tightening around me. I can feel her heart beating under my mouth, and it spurns me on, determined to have her as close to the edge as I’m feeling.
“Oh, fuck,” Thea moans when I grind my cock against her. “Oh fuck, your piercing,” she pants, her hips grinding even more into me, almost desperately.
I lift my head to look down between us and the sight is hot as hell, and I can’t look away from it. I don’t move my hips, content to watch Thea pleasure herself, pushing herself to the edge as she uses me, angling herself to hit the piercing just right. Her lips are spread just enough for me to see her arousal coating me and I don’t think I’ll ever see anything better as long as I live. “That’s it, baby girl,” I praise, lifting my eyes to look at her. Her eyes are shut, her head titled back, and her lips open as she draws in gasping breathes. “That feels so good, doesn’t it?” I croon. “Using my cock to get yourself off, it’s so perfect, isn’t it?”
“ Ummph ,” she grunts, her movements turning almost frantic now.
I have to use every ounce of self-control to keep from coming all over her, because it’s pure torture. Her arousal keeps it from being painful, but I’m about to lose my damn mind. Knowing I’m tempting her to brain me with her knee, I swiftly pull away, making her cry out at the loss, but I quickly scoot down, dislodging her legs around me, and press her legs down as far as I can; spreading her and lowering my mouth to her clit. She lets out a sharp cry, her body arching up off the bed, and her hand coming down to grip my hair tight as I set to work at pushing her closer and closer to the orgasm that’s building.
She tastes fucking perfect, and I could die a happy man right here. Hell, I plan on doing this every fucking day if she’ll let me. I groan when she yanks on my hair, angling my head to where she needs it. I don’t fight her, giving her everything I have, until she lets out a scream, and her body convulses with her orgasm.
Fuck yes. I let go of her clit, thrusting my tongue inside her, even as her muscles clamp down on it, and her knees knock my hands off and come up to squeeze my head. She’s so responsive, and I need more. More of her. More of this.
When she starts to subside, I pull my mouth from her, grip her knees and pull them away from my head. “Again,” I demand, my voice rough and throaty as I put her right leg all the way down, while leaning on the other just enough to keep her still, while I thrust two fingers inside her hard and fast. She lets out a harsh gasp, followed by a deep throaty moan as she strains against me, trying to take more of me, but also push me away as the pleasure burns again inside her. “That’s it, baby girl, give me another one,” I coax, even as she rolls her head and the grip in my hair tightens to the point that I’m sure she’s going to pull it out by the roots.
“Grayson,” she sobs, her inner walls clamping down hard as she comes again, and even harder than before.
“Yes, baby girl, yes,” I grit out, now slowing my fingers at all, desperate to have more of her. More of this. “Give it to me. Come all over my fingers, Thea, just like that.”
When I’m sure that she’s about done, I pull my fingers from her, licking them clean, and then doing the same with her. I can’t get enough. She moans weakly, pushing at my head when I get too close to her clit. I show her some mercy by being gentle before pulling away. I look up and don’t bother to stop the smug smile on my face as I see her loll her head to look at me, her eyes hooded, and a contented smile on her face.
“Your tongue and fingers should be illegal,” she rasps.
I move up to line myself up with her, but stop myself when I feel the bare head against her. It’s my turn to groan because it feels so fucking good. “Thea, I want to fuck you raw,” I tell her through clenched teeth, my body tense as I hold myself back when everything inside me is screaming to take her. “But only if you’re good with it. I’m clean, and I’ve never done it with another woman. Always been gloved.”
Her eyes open a bit more as they look up at me. “I’m on birth control,” she tells me, her voice a bit more tense than before. “I’m also clean, and other than when they…well, other than then, that’s the only time I haven’t used protection.”
I watch her, some of the heat in my gut turning to anger at the reminder of what she’s had to deal with. And while I know this isn’t the same, even remotely, I want her to understand that this is her choice. “I can glove up,” I assure her. “We can explore it when you’re more sure.”
She hesitates again, but I see the darkness starting to fill her eyes. “I-I just,” she stammers out.
I move quickly, pulling my hips away from her, as I ease my way up her body and cup her face in my hands. “Thea,” I say seriously, as I watch her. “We do not need to do anything that you’re not ready for. I am not going to be upset if you want me to wear protection until you’re ready. I want you, and that means your comfort means more to me than my own personal desires.”
Her eyes turn wet for the briefest second before she blinks quickly to clear them. “I’m not ready yet,” she whispers. “I want to be but?—”
I halt her words with a quick press of my mouth to hers. She melts into me, the tension in her leaving instantly. “No,” I whisper as I pull my mouth from hers. “You saying no is all I need to hear. No reasons or worrying needed.”
She looks a bit worried still, but she nods. I pull away after I search her gaze carefully and am sure that she’s okay. Then I turn myself and pull a condom out of the nightstand. I don’t put it on right away, though. I set it down on the pillow near her head, and then lower myself back over her, kissing her gently this time, wanting to calm and soothe her.
My cock isn’t happy about it, but I ignore him and focus on making sure that Thea is okay.
She responds to my kiss, wrapping her arms around my neck and holding me close. I sink into her, before rolling us so she’s on top. I trail my hands over her, relishing the feel of her skin under my hands, and enjoying the way she arches into my touch, even as she kisses me, her tongue tangling with mine.
She suddenly pulls away and I force myself to stay still as she suddenly leans over, grabs the condom and rips it open. She scoots herself back, and I barely manage to contain the groan that wants to rip from my throat at the feel of her scraping over my cock before she finally settles low enough that she can grip me in her hand, stroking me once, then twice, before looking up at me with a grin. She sets the condom down, and leans forward to take me into her mouth.
I’m already riding the line and the feel of her hot, wet mouth only gets me closer to going over the edge. I lock my muscles, straining not to lose control as she slowly sucks me, her tongue wrapping itself around me, before playing gently with the piercing. “Thea,” I grit out, my hands clenching into the sheets to keep from grabbing her. I’m pretty sure I hear fabric tear, but I don’t care.
She chuckles, and the vibrations have a growl tearing from my throat as I arch into the sensation, forcing my cock deeper into her throat. She doesn’t pull back, instead increasing her suction just enough I can’t fall over; she’s keeping me suspended on the edge, until finally, I can’t take anymore.
I reach down, pulling her up and off my cock, and grabbing the condom as I gasp out, “I’m not coming in your mouth, Thea.” I roll the condom on with practiced ease and order, “Get on my cock, baby girl. Now.”
At first, I think she might argue, but clearly, she must need me as much as I need her, because she moves back up, gripping me as she sinks down. Her earlier orgasm makes it smoother and easier, and I let out a low snarl deep in my chest at the feel of her wet heat surrounding me. Fuck, nothing else will ever be better; I’m sure of it.
She braces her hands on my chest as she moves, setting a slow pace as I reach up to grip her hips. I force myself to maintain her pace, despite the need to pound inside her. She’s running this show, and I’ll gladly go along for the ride just to see the pleasure on her face.
The light of the room makes her hair glow, and her blue eyes spark before she closes them, her head falling back on her shoulders as she starts to move faster. Our bodies slam together, both of us breathing hard as we push each other towards ecstasy.
I can feel my orgasm building, and the control I have is slipping fast. A sheen of sweat coats us, until finally, she must decide to put me out of my misery, moving faster and harder. “Fuck, yes, baby girl,” I groan, my grip on her hips tight enough I might just leave some bruises; not that she seems to care.
When she starts to slow, I realize it’s my turn to take over. Quickly, I lift her off me, before I maneuver us so that her ass up, her torso pressed against the bed as I thrust back inside her, setting a brutal pace. “Grayson,” she cries desperately, her body meeting me thrust for thrust, raw sounds of pleasure pulling from her throat with each slam of our bodies.
“Come for me, Thea,” I order, tilting my hips to hit all the perfect spots inside her. “Give it all to me. Let me feel you come all over my cock like a good girl.”
“Oh fuck,” she whimpers, and that’s when I feel the telltale signs of her orgasm. I keep my pace steady, until she lets out a scream that she stifles in the mattress, and her body explodes around me.
“Yes, yes, yes,” I hiss, relishing the feel of her, until finally I can’t hold back my own. I slam into her as I come, my heart pounding in my ears, until I finally go still.
Neither of us moves, my body trembling with exertion and my breathing erratic. I rub her lower back, before I finally ease out of her and make my way into the bathroom to get rid of the condom and clean myself up. When I emerge, I find Thea already under the covers and with them pulled up to her chin, eyes closed, mouth parted with slow and easy breathing. I smile at the sight.
Quietly, I turn the light off in the bathroom, and then the bedroom, before I climb into bed with her, gently pulling the covers out of her grip so I can climb under with her and pull her into me. She snuggles in to me instantly, pushing her leg between mine and laying her head against my chest, all without waking.
I marvel at her for a moment, still shocked she’s here in my bed, and we’re going to make a go of this. And I’m determined to make it work. But knowing Thea, it’s not going to be easy. I was honest when I said we’re going to test each other, and there might be a lot of butting heads before we find our rhythm, but once we do, I have a feeling we’ll be unmoveable. Unbreakable.
And with everything going on with Vlad, I’m damn glad she’s in my corner.