Chapter 14
PIERCE
Iused my left forearm to knock the guard’s gun arm off target as I swung my right fist, connecting with his jaw.
The guard’s gun fired, and Madison screamed.
I swung my gaze to her body, looking for signs the stray bullet had hit her.
No blood. No wound.
Her eyes widened as she focused on a spot just beyond my shoulder. “Pierce,” she cried out in warning.
It was too late.
A large weight slammed against my back, knocking me forward into the heavy conference table.
I gripped the edge and shoved back until the guard connected with the wall and groaned. The moment his grip slackened, I spun around and punched him twice, once on each side of his torso, just below the ribs.
He crumpled to the floor in a senseless heap next to his useless partner.
My breath came in hard bursts as I rounded on Madison.
Her face paled at my approach.
She retreated. Unbalanced by her handcuffed wrists, she knocked into a chair and fell into its seat. The chair’s legs squeaked along the linoleum as she pushed it back, still trying to evade me.
Before she could rise and make a desperate lunge for the door, my hands closed over the arms of the chair.
I studied her flushed face. The tips of my fingers traced the bruise along her cheekbone. My hand was not steady. Angry at myself, I balled my fist until the tremor stopped.
The guilt was mine. I’d put her here. And with me, guilt always twisted into something unforgiving and brutal.
Her tears would not deter my plans.
Right or wrong, I now considered her my possession, which meant she was also mine to protect.
I leaned in close. “That little stunt you pulled in the courtroom. What exactly was your plan?”
She blinked. A tear fell down her cheek as she shook her head. “I don’t know!” She cleared her throat. “I didn’t mean to cause trouble. I panicked.”
“Do you have any fucking idea what those two pieces of shit had planned for you?”
Her shoulders hunched forward as she lowered her head, letting her hair cascade over her cheeks.
“Answer me.”
She sniffed but didn’t raise her head.
I went down on my haunches and pushed her hair away from her face. “I asked you a question.”
Her lips pinched into a tight line, and she shifted her gaze to the side, enraging me with her stubborn silence.
I snatched her by the arms and dragged her out of the chair, then flipped her around and bent her over the table. With her arms handcuffed behind her back, she was helpless to fight me off.
My hips pressed against her ass as I twisted my hand into her hair and wrenched her head back until her body bowed. “Is this what you wanted?”
“No,” she choked out.
With my free hand, I caressed the soft skin of her thigh under her skirt. “I think it was. I think you like playing the helpless innocent.”
“Please! I swear I don’t.”
My hand pressed between her legs. Fingertips slid along the edge of her silk panties. “I think it turns you on to be handcuffed and at a man’s mercy.”
She twisted her hips in protest but only succeeded in pressing her bottom against my hard length. “No!”
I gritted my teeth to stifle a satisfied groan.
Fuck.
I gripped one ass cheek, pressing my fingers into her warm flesh. If not for the unconscious guards on the floor a few feet away, I would tear her panties off and spank her pretty little ass until it was bright red, then I’d sink my cock deep inside her cunt until she screamed my name.
Her hair was in my fist as I hauled her upright and wheeled her around, my hands easily spanning her narrow hips as I lifted her high and sat her on the table’s smooth wooden surface.
I pushed her knees apart and stepped between her open legs.
I angled my head close to her neck and brushed my mouth along the slender column of her neck, wanting to feel her erratic pulse against my lips.
Inhaling the shampoo scent that clung to her hair, I drew her earlobe between my teeth and sank their sharp edges into her soft flesh. My tongue traced the mark before I rasped in her ear, “You ever pull a stunt like that again, and I’ll bruise your ass with my belt. Do you understand me?”
When she didn’t respond, I took her jaw and tilted her head back. “Do. You. Understand. Me?”
She pressed her lips between her teeth before nodding.
“Good girl.”
I straightened and turned away.
The toe of my boot caught the nearest guard and I rolled him over. Ignoring his moan, I reached down to his belt and worked the key ring free, searching for the smallest key which would fit the handcuffs. I freed Madison.
She immediately took a step away and hugged her forearms to her chest, rubbing her wrists.
It wasn’t rational, but the way she seemed to be forever attempting to evade my nearness was grating on my nerves. I grabbed my suit jacket off the table and closed my hand around her upper arm.
Three men in suits waited in the hallway when I swung the door open.
“Take care of that.” I jerked my head toward the room.
The tallest one nodded. “Yes, boss.” He motioned for the other two to follow him as he crossed the threshold and closed the door.
I dragged a resisting Madison down the narrow hallway as numerous people cast us curious glances even as they scurried out of our way.
When we neared a set of metal double doors, Madison dug in. Pulling back on my grasp, she cast her head left and right, searching for help that would not arrive. “What are you doing? Where are we going?”
“We’re leaving.”
Her mouth dropped open and she leaned away from me, trying to break my grasp. “I can’t just waltz out of the courthouse! I’m still under arrest!”
I curved a hand around her neck at the base of her skull and yanked her forward. Uncaring that we had an audience or what the consequences of my actions might be, I claimed her mouth. Swallowing her whimper, I pushed my tongue past her lips, needing to taste her, to feed on her.
When she wrenched free, the blush had returned to her cheeks.
I leaned forward and swept my tongue across her bottom lip. “When are you going to learn, babygirl? I’m in charge. The rest of the world be damned.”
I kicked the doors open and hauled her outside into the thunderstorm that was already raging. It had nothing on the storm brewing inside of me.