CHAPTER ELEVEN
DECLAN
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“We’re flying out tomorrow. New guy starts on Monday. Ryder will be back by then.” Cole slaps me on the shoulder as I walk them to the elevator.
The wedding has been set for next week.
I can barely think straight.
“Jayden is staying at the hotel, so if you need anything local, reach out to him,” Marshall adds. “Or Raven...honestly, if we gave her a weapon, I reckon she might be a little terrifying.”
I snort despite my mood.
I can just imagine her being there today and putting a bullet in Marino’s head. Under different circumstances, I’d compete with the opportunity.
“Let’s not. Although I’m totally on board with her being on my paintball team at the Christmas party,” I say lightly, wanting to give my colleagues confidence I’m fine to do my job.
“Hell, yeah,” Cole laughs.
I say goodbye as the elevator doors close and plant my hands on my hips, letting out a deep sigh. My head dips.
What the hell am I going to do?
I knew the meeting was going to be tense, but Marino is an A-class sociopath. If Stella marries him, her life will be in danger. Surely she can see that? And her father is a piece of shit, letting this happen.
Scrubbing my hand over my short hair, I consider my options here. There really aren’t any. I can’t let her do this.
I also can’t stop her.
I endangered my team by reacting the way I did today. I put Stella in a tenuous situation. That’s not how I conduct my operations.
Jesus.
The chemistry between us seems to have morphed into something more, but that makes no sense. It’s not like either of us acted on anything. We haven’t been intimate, which could go some way to explaining my reaction.
I haven’t even fucking kissed her.
Opening up about my father’s death was new for me. Usually, I don’t talk about him. God knows the world always mentions him to me, but talking to Stella about Mom and Dad has made us grow closer.
Imagine what Mom would think if she learned I’d died at the hands of a criminal. I can’t do that to her. I want her to move on and live her life. Like Stella’s heroine.
I want Stella to live her life...with me.
God, is that what this is? Do I have real feelings for her?
Have you ever been in love?
Everyone saw me carrying her out of the Marino mansion into her waiting vehicle. I could claim it's my job, but I suspect Cole and Marshall know what’s going on.
So does her father.
So does Marino.
If the boys mention it to Josh and he thinks I’m incapable of doing my job, I’d really let Mom down. Or prove her right.
Your dad would want you to stay. Look at other roles in the Navy, Declan.
You don’t know that’s what Dad would’ve done, Mom. He might have wanted to leave the Teams one day.
The Navy was his life. I guess we will never know.
It was also your life, too, Mom. I can’t live mine constantly worried about whether it makes her happy. As if his death were my fault. As if I were left behind to make up for his absence.
“I’m sorry.”
I spin around and find Stella in bare feet and a pair of short pajama pants and a Coldplay sweatshirt. Christ, she looks sexy as hell, and my dick reacts appropriately.
I don’t try to hide it.
I think the time for hiding how we feel is over.
Our eyes never leave each other’s as I close the gap, stopping a foot away.
“Did he touch you?” I ask the question that’s been grating at me since I dived into the room and caught her.
“No.” Her eyes dip.
“Stella.”
She lifts her hand to her face. “He grabbed me here; that was all.”
I thought the dark smudge on her jaw was makeup, as she’d cried on the way home, but as I gently angle her face, I see it’s a bruise the size of a thumb.
“That motherfucker,” I growl.
Stella crumples against my chest, and I pull her into my arms. “I don’t know what to do.”
Jesus.
I hold her tightly, threading my fingers through her hair as my mouth presses against her forehead.
“Shh, shh it’s okay.” I try to calm her.
She sobs, clutching my shirt, and cements herself further inside my chest. To the place I keep for those I care about. How she got there, I don’t know, but if I were a romantic, I’d say it happened the first moment I met her.
That won’t keep her safe, nor change what is going on, though.
I can’t force her to stop this wedding.
She has to choose that herself.
“Hey.” I brush my hand over her forehead, encouraging her to look at me. I had every intention of telling her that we should talk. Of guiding her back into the living room and making her a drink, then talking some more.
Don’t I?
No.
Instead, her watery, vulnerable, and beautiful eyes meet mine, and I do the one thing I shouldn’t do. My mouth lowers to hers, and the dam breaks open.
Stella’s arms slide up my chest and around my neck as I force my tongue inside her hot mouth. Hungrily, we kiss as if starved for a lifetime of one another.
She’s everything I imagined as I lift her into my arms, and her legs wrap around me. I feel the heat of her against my abdomen and my cock surges, wanting inside her. I need more of her mouth and the peppermint taste of her toothpaste first.
She came to me, and I’m taking everything she’s offering.
Tomorrow we can talk and work out this mess.
Probably.
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STELLA
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GOD IN HEAVEN, I shouldn’t be doing this, but even an asteroid couldn’t stop me.
Every inch of Declan is hard—every inch—and I can’t get enough of him. He kisses like the devil, and if I died right now, I swear I’d be the happiest woman alive.
Actually, scrap that, I want to live at least until he’s made love to me twice four times.
Surely, a girl who is about to marry a monster can be selfish. If this is the last time I get to be with a man I desire to save my father’s life, then I’m taking it.
I want him to consume me and make me forget everything.
Declan scoops me up and carries me into the living room. He places me down on the sofa, following so our mouths barely part.
God, he’s gorgeous.
“Tell me to leave,” he says, nipping at my lips, sex rich in his eyes.
“No,” I reply softly, my voice raw.
“Then you’ll be okay with me doing this.” He tugs down my sleep shorts and tosses them away, all with one hand while looking deep into my eyes.
“Yes,” I rasp as his knee spreads my legs, and he kisses me again passionately.
“And this.” Two fingers glide through my wet pussy and I arch, crying out.
“Declan...”
“And this...” One of them breaches my entrance, startling my body in glorious ways.
Then it’s gone.
“Oh god. Do it again.”
My eyes fly open when he doesn’t, to find him piercing me with his own.
“I want all of you.”
“You have me.”
“I don’t think you know what that means, but for now, I’m taking your body.” Then he disappears between my legs, and I scream as his mouth consumes my sex.
Gripping my hips, Declan licks at my clit repeatedly, almost driving a fast, hard orgasm from me. It’s only when he moves around my folds that I continue on the rollercoaster of pleasure he’s taking me on.
As he slides two fingers inside me and feasts, I grip my breasts, pushing my sweatshirt up, and moan.
“Holy hell.”
“Fuck, you’re beautiful and soaked.”
“Oh, God. Oh yes, yes.” I moan some more, never wanting this to end.
“You taste like sin in the best possible way.”
Declan clamps down on my clit, and a moment later I’m taken right to the edge, my hips hard against his face.
“I’m going to come, oh Jesus.”
“Give me everything, Stella. Come on my tongue.” His fingers speed up fucking me and the world tilts on its axis as pleasure crashes through me.
I’m not given a chance to think.
Declan climbs over me, undoing his pants and lifting his cock out.
Oh Lord.
He’s long.
And thick.
Arms either side of me, he lowers his face and kisses me so I can taste myself on his tongue. Eyes open, and my arms looped around his neck, I think I might die from how incredible he feels.
His heavy cock presses against my groin, and it’s as if I know this moment is going to change my life forever.
“Put me inside you.”
I don’t hesitate; I reach between us and with little effort, as our souls seem locked instead of just our eyes, my hand guides his shaft to my entrance.
“Fuck,” Declan groans. His eyes roll back a moment and then he refocuses. “I’m not gentle. I’m going to go hard at first.”
“I want that.”
“Good girl.” He cups my face, then his hips slam forward, and he’s inside me.
I arch, crying out.
“Yes,” he growls.
Oh Jesus.
It hurt but felt incredible, filling me so completely I never want to feel empty again.
Wrapping my arms around his wide, thick chest, I hold on as Declan pounds in and out of me, creating the most ecstasy-dense moment of my life.
This can’t be real.
We both know this shouldn’t be happening, but I don’t care. Neither does he, apparently. It feels as if it was fated from the moment we met.
Slam, slam, slam.
He cups my breast, our tongues swirling together as I clamp down around his member.
“So tight. Such a good girl.”
I glide my hand over his short military cut and grip his other shoulder. Tugging at his shirt, I want to feel his skin, see him naked.
With one arm, he rips it off, and I nearly die on the spot.
Holy fucking mercy.
I’m greeted with ripples of muscle, an array of tattoos, all while my pussy throbs with the pleasure he’s giving me.
Declan smirks. “Like what you see?”
Oh, the ego on this man! But he’s right. I do. Very much. He’s like a Greek god.
I run my hands over his pecs and up over his shoulders. “It’s okay.”
He sniggers, leans down and nips at one of my nipples and slides his hands under my ass to go deeper.
“Oh, fuck.”
“You like to play?” Declan asks. “Cheeky girl.”
“No, I’m sorry.”
He snickers again and speeds up, as my body feels like it’s completely under his control. Let’s face it, it is, and I’m not sad about it at all.
“No condom. I’m going to come on your tits,” Declan grunts, both of us close.
I grip his arms, digging my nails in.
His nostrils flare like a wild animal, and I’m pretty sure he likes the pain. Squeezing my ass cheeks, he speeds up, and I slip over the edge.
“Oh God,” I cry out into the room.
“Fuck, look at you coming around my cock,” Declan exclaims. “Fuck me.”
The world spins as I almost lose consciousness. I’ve given him all of me, physically and more, and nothing has prepared me for the pleasure we’re sharing.
I want all of you
There was meaning in those few words. I wish I was in a position to explore it, but it’s too risky.
He pulls out of me and strokes his cock fast with his fist, then spills white, hot cum all over my breasts. His lips twitch and eyes flare as he rubs it into my skin like he’s marking me as his.
He is.
I can see it clear as day as he licks his lips.
“You’re single-handedly the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life,” Declan rasps. “And you’re wearing my seed.”
I was right.
He’s planted his flag on me, so to speak. But if he thinks it’s changed anything, he’s wrong.
Go enjoy your boyfriend. We marry in one week.
Declan can’t protect me from Tony Marino. I was wrong. But I don’t want to let him go, either.