CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
MARSHALL
Sacha saved Roger’s life tonight. Nobody but me will ever know it, but she did. I haven’t seen her since I was in high school, and here she is at Aidan’s damn party. All kinds of random people are showing up.
Except Sacha isn’t random.
She was my brother’s girlfriend for two years, so she was at Sunday night dinners and a lot of family events while we were growing up.
I left for the military just as they were breaking up and was sad for them both.
Damn, it’s good to see her.
And I was losing my mind watching Trina.
I top off Sacha’s drink and hand her the glass, while we grin at one another.
“I heard you got out of the military.” She nods to my arm. “Doesn’t look like it.”
“Yup, I’m working private now.” I lift it and feel the strain on my stitches. It’s been less than a week and I’m ready for them to come out.
I still have weeks.
“Fell down the stairs.” I smile.
“Sure. Ever considered a desk job like your brother?” Sacha shakes her head as she laughs.
“Maybe one day.”
I feel the urge, maybe because of how close we once were, to tell her how I’ve been feeling and what I’ve been thinking.
I wanted to do this with Trina. To get close to her but she’s like a damn brick wall. Now bringing Roger here, I’m starting to think she isn’t who I thought she was.
“You’re not getting any younger, Marsh.”
“Excuse me, Marsh, ” Trina says and pushes between us, grabbing a bottle of vodka. Her brows lift, glaring at me as she slides back out.
I bite the side of my mouth to stop from smiling.
Then watch her walk over to Roger.
Sacha drops her face and chuckles as she takes a small sip of her drink.
“Sorry about that.” I run a hand over my hair.
Trina pours two shots of vodka and clinks glasses with Roger. He tosses it back and shoots me a dark look.
“Still upsetting all the pretty girls, I see.” Sacha giggles.
I groan, propping my hip against the counter. “It’s complicated.”
If she was anyone else, I would’ve just thrown my hands in the air and told Roger to go have fun. That I’d fucked her sweet pussy and had what I wanted.
One and done.
That couldn’t be further from the truth.
I don’t know what it feels like to be married but this overwhelming possession is new to me.
The more I wonder why he didn’t confess to knowing me, the more curious I am.
Nothing is making sense or adding up.
Cassy and Sacha start chatting and I slide my glass of whisky onto the counter. It’s the same one I’ve been nursing all night. I’m on antibiotics so I shouldn’t be drinking anything.
“Back in a minute,” I say as nature calls and head into the house and down the hall to the bathrooms. There’re a couple of people waiting so I make idle chatter and wait.
A minute or two later, the last guy comes out and I hold the door above his head. “Thanks, man.”
I push it farther open and walk in when a flash of red crosses past me. Then the door bangs shut, and Trina stands before me with her hands on her hips.
I lift my brow.
“How dare you question me when you had arranged some other girl to meet you here tonight.” She growls and god she’s so pretty I almost can’t breathe.
I take a step closer and her hands falter, almost falling from her hips. When I take another step they drop and press against the wall.
“ Marsh ,” she mocks.
“That was rude,” I say roughly, palming the wall above her head.
“Whatever.” Her voice is softer, breathless.
“You jealous, darlin’?”
“No. Just proving my point.” Her blue eyes dilate and drift to my lips.
“And you thought the bathroom would be the place to do that?” I brush a strand of hair from her face and lock my gaze to her plump her lips. “Tonight. Right now.”
I want her.
I want all of her. Every damn inch.
“Yes.” All fight has gone and she’s putty in my hands, but because she’s Trina, she adds, “Because I like to get things off my task list.”
I snort.
It’s such a ridiculous thing to say.
“Okay. Job well done. What now?” I move my body in closer, so we’re inches apart. “Should I push you to your knees and pull my aching cock out, or lift you onto the counter and lick your dripping pussy?”
She pushes at my chest, getting nowhere. It’s barely any effort.
“No. We have dates.” She gasps. “That’s not happening.”
Sacha isn’t my date but I’m happy to let her think that if it means getting a reaction out of her. At this point, I’ll take anything.
“I’ll make a deal with you.” I slide my hand down her hip and along the hem of her skirt, then tug it up.
“No,” she whispers.
“If your panties are dry, I’ll let you walk out the door. If they’re wet, then I’m fucking you right here. No arguments.”
I reach Trina’s panties and feel her shudder.
“Marshall. No.”
She’s lying.
I reach her panties and her legs part, giving me full access.
“Good girl,” I rasp. “Such a fucking good dirty girl.”
“This. Is. Not...oh fuck.” Her head tilts back as I press against her clit. I circle it once, then twice, lowering my mouth to the side of her neck.
“My money is on you being soaked, little wolf.”
Then I slide my fingers through her folds and she’s sopping wet.
“Goddamn you,” Trina cries, gripping my upper arms.
Fuck my wound, even as the pain burns. I scoop her up and place her on the bathroom sink and rip down her panties in one swell move. Then reach over and lock the door.
When I glance back and find her pussy bare and glistening wet, waiting for me, I almost come in my goddamn jeans.
Zipper down, I yank open my top button and my cock springs free.
“I do love winning a bet.” I grip her chin as I guide my fat swollen head to her entrance. “Hold on tight because I’m taking every fucking inch of you. And when I’m come inside you, you’re going to put those panties back on and let my seed percolate in this hot cunt of yours.”
I want her chock-full of me.
Trina is unable to talk and I’m not sad about that.
The tip presses inside.
“Then you are sending your little friend home.”
What am I saying? Roger isn’t little but it makes me feel better calling him that.
“No.”
I thrust inside and let out a growl.
“You”—I pull back and thrust again—“will do”—she moans—“As. I. Fuck,” I curse as she tightens her walls around me. “Tell you.”
Goddamn, she feels like heaven.
Trina tucks her legs around my back as I slam into her. Things are falling and smashing on the ground but hopefully the music will buy us some time.
And privacy.
“Oh god. More. Harder.” She moans, one hand around the back of my neck.
“God I’ve missed this.” I claim her mouth, the familiar hints of raspberry hit my taste buds as she opens to me. We suck and lick as we devour one another.
“Feels so good. Fuck. Oh, oh, oh, yes, there. How do you do...oh.” I force her eyes to lock onto mine as she comes.
She closes her eyes, but I shake her face. They fling open.
“Stop hiding from me.” I growl, slowing my movement. “Trina.” She blinks, and her fear is as visible as it’s ever been. “I’m not letting you go. This is real. Stop running.”
Her lips wobble but she doesn’t budge.
“Move damn you,” she says instead.
My hips speed up as this silent argument goes on between us, fought only by our gazes.
“Come, baby,” I tell her. “Come on my cock. Paint it with your succulent juices.”
“Fuck,” she cries.
This time I let go and follow her. My orgasm rips painfully through me as hot threads of fire from my swollen dick, claiming this woman with every thrust.
Her fingers dig into my skin, and I feel a couple pierce my flesh, but it’s nothing compared to the pain of watching her with another man.
Panting, I slow and move in and out of her as our bodies adjust to the sudden and quick invasion.
My forehead drops to Trina’s, both of them sticky with sweat.
I smile. She came to me. Triggered by Sacha, sure, but she still followed me in here and showed me that she has feelings.
The possession I feel for this woman is rapidly increasing. If she’d just have a damn conversation with me we could talk about how this might work.
“Let me take you home.” I brush her cheek.
Trina wriggles under me and I gently pull out.
“Move, move.” Trina nudges me and then races over to the toilet. Then plonks down and rips about ten miles of toilet paper from the roll.
I love watching her pee.
“Stop watching me.” She grumbles.
“Nope. You are cute.” I grab some paper towels and clean my dick, then put it away.
She flushes and pushes her dress down, looking around for her panties.
“These are mine.” I tuck them into my jean pocket. “You get them when you come back to my place.”
Trina washes her hands, shooting me an annoyed look. “So let me get this straight, you want me walking around with no panties out there, while I’m on a date with another guy.”
I growl.
“No. I want you to go out there and tell Roger to fuck off home. Tell him that you are mine. Let him smell me on you.”
“I’m not yours.”
“Your pussy says otherwise.”
“She”—she pokes my chest—“is a traitor. I told you. This can’t be a thing. It’s just lust. Now give me my panties back.”
“No.” I put my hands on my hips.
Her eyes roam my body and I watch as she considers tackling me. Which is hilarious.
“Take your best shot darlin’.”
“Stop with that Southern accent. You already got what you wanted.”
I snap.
How fucking long is she going to keep refusing to accept what this is? Or at least that it’s something worth pursuing.
Grabbing her arms, I see the shock on her face as I pull her up against me. “So did you. At least I can admit what I want. Stop hiding from this and fucking talk to me.”
“I told you. No. You don’t understand.”
I release her.
“Yeah. I think I do.” I shake my head. “Your dad was military, and he died.”
Her mouth drops open.
“But is that really it?” I ask, glancing at the door and hearing voices outside. “Because you’re happy to date that fucker out there who is Special Forces, but not me.”
Trina gasps.
“You investigated me? How dare you!”
Missed the point.
Nice.
I shake my head. She won’t admit Roger is military to me—thinking I don’t know him—and clearly won’t even try with us. I get that it was invasive of me to look into her past, but the least she can do is agree she has double standards.
I mean, Roger is an enlisted fucking soldier.
Pain slices deep in my heart as I accept the truth. Palming her cheek, I resign to what is in front of me.
“You know what, little wolf. You do what you want. I can’t make you want this.”
Or me.
“No, you can’t.” Her voice is soft as I kiss her forehead, take one last look at her brilliant blue eyes, then leave the bathroom.
And keep walking out of the house.
When I climb in my car, I glance up and see Roger standing on the doorstep, leaning his hip against the banister. He salutes me, then walks back inside.
Fucking asshole.