Chapter 10
10
Nina stared at the garage door until Zeke walked back inside. She didn’t like him being out of her sight. Not seeing him for a few minutes. It made her itchy, like her skin was too tight. It made no sense.
When Zeke walked inside again, he kept his gaze down, hidden from her and Monty. Monty breezed past Zeke, returning to the living room where Nina sat. Monty didn’t notice a thing, but Nina did.
She was more determined than ever to chase her brother out of the house and get Zeke alone. Something changed, and she needed to know what.
Monty kept up the conversation during dinner, sharing more stories about their past and telling Nina she missed nothing. She asked about the home they grew up in, the house where both their parents died.
“I sold it after he died,” Monty said. “I couldn’t stand going back there. Not after he lived there. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be there after Mom died and you left, either, but all my memories of the house were bad ones. But the money, I can sell half the company to give you what you should have. I only got all of it because you were gone.”
Nina shook her head as Monty spoke. “No. It’s yours. I don’t want anything from him.”
“Sounds familiar,” Zeke said with little humor in his voice.
“What do you mean?” Nina asked.
Zeke nodded at Monty, and Nina slid her gaze to her brother.
“I fought it for a long time. I didn’t want his money. It felt tainted, like he was.”
“What changed your mind?”
Monty smiled at Zeke and clapped his shoulder. “He did. Reminded me of one of the things we talked about all the time when we were serving.”
The two men shared a moment that left Nina feeling separate. She was, and she would have been anyway, but all the moments they shared when she was gone were a reminder that she missed so much. “Are you going to tell me what it was?”
Monty smirked. “We protected sisters and mothers and wives and children when we served. We did our fair share of damage, but we believed we were doing the best thing, and every time we saved someone who’d been abused or harmed, we said we were saving another Nina. Someone else’s most important person.”
“Monty,” Nina breathed.
Monty smiled at her, the emotion in his eyes warming her heart. “I love you, sis. I’m so damn happy you’re back. And I’m sorry for making you think I would ever wonder which side you were on.”
Nina grabbed his hand and squeezed tight. When they were kids, she made a game out of trying to hurt him when she squeezed his hand. She never did, but holding his hand brought back the memory and she squeezed as tight as she could.
Monty laughed. “Still think you can hurt me?”
Nina grinned and squeezed harder. “One day.”
“I’ll take it.” Monty’s tone was not talking about Nina squeezing his hand.
“I love you, big brother.”
“I know. Thank you for coming back.”
“I couldn’t be happier that I am.”
“Good.” Monty pulled his hand from hers and picked up his plate. He patted her shoulder and hurried into the kitchen.
Nina watched as her brother put his dishes away and stared at the opposite wall for a minute, gathering himself and stuffing his emotions down.
Tears filled her eyes. She didn’t like making him cry, but it was so damn good to know he cared. To know she wasn’t as alone as she’d felt.
Nina’s gaze drifted to Zeke and found him watching her. The look in his eyes was similar, but so very different. The same level of care was there, but there was more. Guilt, like he confessed to. Desire, anger, curiosity, and maybe more. More than Nina could handle at the moment.
“I’m going to head home. If you guys are okay.” Monty walked back to where they sat on the couch and stood at the end, hands on his hips.
“Will we see you tomorrow?” Nina asked, getting up and wrapping her arms around his middle.
Monty hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head. “If you want to.”
“Absolutely.”
“Good. Then I’ll see you guys in the morning.”
“Not too early,” Nina said with a groan.
Monty chuckled. “I’ll try to remember.”
Nina nodded against his chest and inhaled deeply. He didn’t hate her. He hadn’t forgotten her. He was still right there. Saving other people’s sisters who needed help.
“Night, man,” Zeke said, carrying his plate to the kitchen and putting it in the dishwasher.
“Night.” Monty hugged Nina tight again, then released her and headed to the door.
Zeke followed Monty, and the two of them exchanged a few words Nina couldn’t hear. She waited for Monty to leave and Zeke to close and lock the door.
The click of the lock still gave her a moment of panic, but she was able to handle it better than the first night. Especially when she looked up and saw the look on Zeke’s face.
“Zeke?”
“I need to know you are okay. That you’re not afraid of me. That everything you went through…”
Nina took a step toward him, but Zeke backed up.
“I… Do you trust me?”
“Yes,” she breathed without hesitation. “Always, Zeke. I trust you more than anyone else on earth.”
“I’m the reason you went through all of that. I could have stopped you. I should have stopped you.”
“Zeke, don’t,” Nina said, stepping into his personal space and putting her hand over his mouth. “I can’t have you blaming yourself. I was young and foolish. I made a mistake, trusted someone I shouldn’t have. But I never once blamed you. From the sound of it, neither did Monty.”
“I blamed myself. I still do. Jesus, Nina, what you told us…”
“I didn’t want to do those things,” she whispered, feeling ashamed for all of it.
“Angel, you don’t have to explain yourself to me. You were captive there. And now you’re captive here.” Zeke took a step away from her again.
Nina swallowed roughly at the loss of him. “I was wrong to threaten that. I was wrong to say what I did. You’re nothing like her.”
“But I am, Nina. I will stop you from leaving. I will do whatever I have to if it means keeping you here. I don’t want to, though. God, please don’t make me.”
Nina shook her head, the anguish on Zeke’s face enough to make her heart clench. “I’m not leaving, Zeke. I overreacted.”
Zeke nodded, and Nina took a chance and moved forward again. She put her hand on his chest, and he tugged her in so tight she could barely breathe. One hand went into her hair, the other tight around her back. His lips landed on the top of her head, and he inhaled, like he was trying to pull her inside himself.
Nina held him like the lifeline he was. She couldn’t make sense of how she felt with Zeke. Of the desire that slowly unfurled inside her as she breathed him in. Of the way a man who was clearly dangerous made her feel safe in a way she’d never known.
He hardened between them, and desire pulsed inside her. She kissed his chest, drawing small circles on his back. He inhaled sharply, his cock twitching against her stomach.
She licked his throat, and he growled, pulling back just enough to slam his lips down on hers. She gasped at the rough move, a flood of heat making her rub her thighs together. His tongue probed her mouth as his hand moved to cup her ass. He molded and squeezed, his fingers teasing her with his firm touch.
He pulled back with a curse, and she swayed without him there to hold her up.
“Zeke.”
“Let me lock up the house. Don’t lose that thought right there.” He tapped her nose, then surged back at her, devouring her right where she stood and sending her brain out the window.
She pressed a hand to her lips and smiled as she watched him race through the house. He tossed the leftovers from dinner into the fridge without bothering to transfer them to a smaller container, and he dropped the rest of the dishes into the sink instead of the dishwasher.
“I thought you were a clean freak,” Nina teased.
He looked at her over his shoulder, his gaze scolding her as it slid down her body. “There is something else I’m much more of a freak about than cleaning.”
No one had ever bothered to speak to Nina like that. They were paying to fuck her. Romance wasn’t necessary. But with Zeke, he wanted her to know he wanted her. Nina could feel it in his words and his actions.
He checked the back door, then the front door, then the garage, then flipped all the lights off downstairs.
The sudden plunge into darkness took her by surprise. She gasped without thought, fear grabbing her throat and squeezing.
“Fuck,” Zeke snarled.
A light came on, momentarily blinding Nina. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t you ever apologize to me,” Zeke said. “Ever. I should have expected that.”
Nina shook her head, willing the fear to go away. “You didn’t know.”
“Have you thought about therapy?” Zeke asked softly.
Nina shook her head again. “No one can possibly understand what I’ve been through. I don’t think telling everything to some highly educated person who’s never known struggle is going to make me feel better about what I’ve been through.”
“Maybe not, but if you find the right therapist, they can be worth their weight in gold.”
“Have you been to therapy?” Nina asked skeptically.
“I have.” Zeke nodded. “I go still.”
“Why?”
He didn’t answer, just stared at her.
“Because of me?”
Zeke swallowed hard and nodded.
“It wasn’t your fault.”
He shrugged. “Still work to do to accept that.”
“I wish I could take that guilt from you.”
“I wish I could take everything from you.” He exhaled, as if he hadn’t meant to say the words. “I apologize. That’s not fair of me.”
“I know what you mean, though. There are times I wish I didn’t remember.”
Zeke nodded as though he understood. He probably did. “Let’s turn on the light on the stairs.”
Nina nodded as Zeke flipped the switch that illuminated the stairs. She stayed at the bottom while he turned off the other lights, then joined her. Nina started up the stairs, but Zeke grabbed her hand.
“I will never pressure you or force you to do anything. You’re in charge here. Always. Everything is up to you.”
Nina nodded, feeling self-conscious about the power he was handing over to her. She’d never been in charge. She didn’t know how to be in charge. She wasn’t sure if she would like it.
“I don’t…”
“You say no, I stop. No matter what. I promise you, Nina. I don’t want you to ever worry about me doing anything you don’t want. Whether it’s making you coffee in the morning or making you come at night, you call the shots.”
His dirty words had her trembling. “I want you, Zeke. I’m going to try.”
He shook his head. “No, angel. You’re not going to try. We’re going slow. If you have any doubts, we’re not even going to start anything.”
“But—”
“I’m not going anywhere, Nina. I’ll be here waiting for you as long as you need me to wait. As long as you want me to wait. I promise you that.”
She swallowed past her dry throat at the vehemence of his words and the desire in his gaze. She wasn’t sure how she got so lucky, but she was not going to fight it.
“Let’s go upstairs. You first. I’m going to stare at your ass.”
Nina barked a laugh at his blatant admission. She added a little sway to her walk, and he groaned.
“I’m going to enjoy when I get my hands on you, Nina.”
“So am I.”
Zeke growled, then caught up to her on the landing outside his bedroom door. He pressed her against the wall, letting her feel the way she affected him. He tugged on her ear with his teeth, and she felt an answering tug between her thighs.
“Zeke.”
“Slow, angel.”
“Please.”
He slid his arm around her waist and held her tightly against his body, walking them into the bedroom and kicking the door closed behind them. He walked to the bathroom and turned the light on, then led her to the bed.
“I want you to know exactly who is here with you. I need you to know it’s me.” Zeke’s voice was strained.
Nina cupped his jaw and pushed him to sit on the bed. She crawled on top of him, straddling him and lowering herself down until she cradled his erection between her thighs. “I want you, Zeke. I want all of you. I want to know sex isn’t just an act, but it’s something between people who care about each other. It can be beautiful and fun and more than a requirement.”
“I wish I’d been able to teach you all those things, Nina. I wish I’d been the one to give you your first time.”
Nina gasped. “You were… I was… I always wished it had been you.”
“Me, too, angel. I wanted you so badly. That was part of why I let you go that night. I couldn’t say no to you.”
“Don’t say it now, Zeke. Please. Show me what would have happened if I’d never disappeared.”
Zeke growled and wrapped her tight in his arms. He knew being with her was a gift. A gift he never thought he’d ever have. He was an asshole for claiming her when she was still scared of everything, but he wasn’t strong enough to say no to her.
Again.
He didn’t think he ever would be. All the other women he’d ever known were easy enough to forget. One night, maybe two, and he was ready to get rid of them. He hadn’t even gotten inside Nina and knew it wouldn’t be enough. It would never be enough.
Nina rocked on his lap, a motion so subtle Zeke didn’t think she realized she was doing it. He encouraged her movement with a hand on her hip, which had the opposite effect and stalled her.
“Keep going,” he whispered against her lips. “I want to know what you like.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I… It was never up to me.”
“Now it is. Your body did it for a reason. Keep going, Nina.”
“Will you…”
“Anything, sweetheart. What do you need me to do?”
“Will you help me?”
“In what way?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t know what feels good.”
“Come here,” Zeke whispered, bringing her lips back to his. He teased her mouth opened and delved inside, tasting her sweetness. He kissed her softly, then kissed her hard. He kissed her with a hand on her waist, then with his hand in her hair. He kissed her every way he could think of until her hips shifted once more.
Her body softened in his arms, her nervousness fading as her body took over. He slid one hand to her thigh, then squeezed gently when her hips faltered. He growled against her lips and filled her mouth with his tongue. His other hand cupped the back of her head, tilting it to suit his needs, and feeling her go liquid again.
She rocked and shifted, her pace speeding up as frustration and desire poured from her.
Zeke tore his lips from hers and trailed his tongue down her throat. He sucked his way back up, nibbling on her ear. “Are you going to come for me, Nina? Are you going to let go and moan my name?”
“Yes,” she whispered, her voice husky and muffled.
“What’s my name, Nina?”
“Zeke.”
“Yes, angel. I love hearing you whisper my name. Hearing your breath falter.” He thrust up against her, and she gasped. “Oh, yeah, just like that.”
“Zeke.”
“Yeah, Nina?”
“Do that… More.”
Zeke cupped both her hips, holding her head in place with his teeth on her ear. He dipped his tongue into her ear, and she moaned again.
He urged her to go faster, dragging her away, then slamming her body against his as he rose up and met her in the middle.
“Zeke,” she exhaled, pleasure taking hold. “Oh, shit. Yes.”
“Come for me, Nina. I’m right here.”
“Zeke,” she whimpered.
If she were any other woman, they’d both be naked and there would be no frustration. Zeke didn’t hold back when he had a woman in his bed. But with Nina, with Nina… Fuck, he was holding everything back. Getting her naked would send him over the damn edge. Getting his hands on her would make him lose his mind. Getting her to come was going to send him straight to fucking hell.
But he would enjoy every damn second of the trip.
“I can’t,” she cried. She groaned like she was in pain, and he brought both his hands to her cheeks.
“Look at me, Nina.”
She fought him but relented when he didn’t give up.
“What are you feeling right now?”
“Frustrated.”
“Do you want me to touch you, Nina? Do you want me to slide my fingers all over your beautiful body and make you come?”
“Zeke.”
“I need you to say yes, angel. I’m not going to?—”
“Yes. Please, Zeke. Yes.”
Zeke inhaled her, drawing her to him for a punishing kiss that left him panting and her writhing in his lap. Her shorts were just short enough to allow him access without needing her to take them off, and he eased his hand between her thighs.
Zeke saw stars when he touched her soaked flesh. His cock demanded the same attention, but all Zeke cared about was Nina.
“Nina,” he breathed into her mouth.
“Yes.”
He pushed a finger inside her, and she clamped down around the digit. It wasn’t enough. He needed all of her. To move and look and touch all of her.
But he didn’t dare take that from her. Not yet.
He pushed her panties to the side and slicked his thumb over her clit.
She gasped, then moaned loudly.
“You’re so wet, Nina. You’re ready to come, aren’t you?”
“Zeke.”
“Yeah, Nina, say my name. I’m here with you. I’m not going anywhere. Come for me, Nina.”
“Oh, yes. Zeke,” she whispered. She rode his hand, forgetting all about her earlier discomfort. “Zeke.”
“Yes, Nina. Let go for me. You’re so fucking beautiful. So amazing. So damn strong. This is all you, Nina. All you.”
“Zeke. You. For you.”
“No, Nina, this is for you. I’m honored to be the one to help you get there, but this is for you. This wet pussy is all you. You taking what you need. You loving this. You coming with me. Come, Nina. Come for me.”
“Zeke!” Her cry was louder than anything else, her body shaking with the power of her orgasm. She rocked against his hand, not letting up as she flooded his palm.
Zeke curled his fingers deep inside her and triggered another orgasm, one she wasn’t expecting. She screamed again, soaking his hand and surprising him. His vision darkened at the edges and his balls tightened. He was right there with her, but managed to choke it back.
“Zeke,” she breathed.
“I’m right here, Nina. Right here.”
“I wish you’d been my first.”
He kissed her shoulder and nodded. “Me, too, angel.”
Hopefully, I’ll be your last.
Zeke smiled at the thought. He wouldn’t dare voice it, but Nina Rose was everything for him, and if he didn’t know it before, getting his hands on her was all the proof he needed. Because he was right. One taste was nowhere near enough of her. And it never would be.