Chapter 18 #3
I swallow thickly. “It seemed like a good idea at the time. You were going after my stalker, so I thought I’d be safe.
I didn’t expect it to go the way it did, but when I saw the restricted area, I knew I had to act today in case they shifted the evidence.
” My chest hurts as the memories march through my head.
“I managed to get out through the ceiling crawlspace.”
Slate’s brows fly up. “You climbed through the ceiling?”
“Yeah, I didn’t really have a choice.”
“Well from now on, I’m gonna see that you have nothing but choices in life. I guarantee those bastards won’t touch you again.”
I give him a hug and when I finally pull back enough for him to look at my face again his thumb strokes my cheek gently. This man of mine does not look happy.
“Can we leave now?” I ask, eager to put some distance between myself and this place.
“We sure as fuck can. We’d better stay in the area overnight in case the local cops need us, but then I’ll take you home.”
“Home?” I ask.
“Cedar Falls. Because if I have any say in the matter, that’s where you and my little girl are gonna be. I want us to be a proper family.”
I feel something relax in me. Home. Cedar Falls is the first time I’ve felt safe and secure in years and the thought of making a life there with Slate is everything I could have ever dreamed of.
“You’re my home, babe. Let’s go.” If I’m honest, I’ve had enough action and adventure to last a lifetime.
Maybe my days as an investigative reporter are over for good after all.
Slate puts me on the back of his bike and we ride away, leaving the police and his club brothers to deal with the mess we left behind.
I feel a little guilty about that, but I’m exhausted.
Riding the open road on the back of his bike is the perfect transition from chaos to peace.
We’re riding with the setting sun behind us, and it warms my back.
I just hold onto Slate and daydream about snuggling up with him safe and sound at long last.
***
When we get to the motel, Slate locks the door behind us and checks the windows before finally letting himself relax.
When he approaches, I take a step towards him without thinking.
He slips his arms around me and guides me to the bed.
When we’re standing there face-to-face, he murmurs, “I’m sorry I didn’t get there a lot fuckin’ sooner. ”
My emotions are a jumble. “It’s not your fault,” I tell him. “To be honest, seeing them all get arrested and knowing that REACH will be held accountable made it all worth it.”
“I knew that you’d feel that way.” He pauses for a moment and then tells me quietly, “I think you should know that this whole situation went far deeper than we thought. When we found Neal, Striker hacked his devices and found an encryption protocol for the information on your flash drive. We discovered part of what you scooped up was personnel files that included contract killers. REACH had put a bounty on your head and Neal was desperate to get the information back because the records you had on your flash drive proved he’d killed several individuals at the behest of the company. ”
Shock roils through my gut. “That’s why he went after me so hard. I could never understand why his stalking felt like he had a personal grudge against me. Now, it all makes sense.”
“And that’s not all,” he tells me. “REACH is filled with soulless corporate fuckin’ profiteers.
They were hired to protect US interests and deliver supplies to hard-to-reach places.
What no one fuckin’ knew was that their side gig involved secret illegal operations, like trading weapons and information with Islamist groups, in deals backed by Russian nationalists.
Those shady partnerships cost the lives of American soldiers and Afghan civilians alike. ”
My hand flies to my throat. “I never even suspected the corruption ran that deep.”
“It doesn’t matter. Your instincts told you they were corrupt and it turned out you were on the right track all along. Because of you, those assholes are gonna wind up behind bars.” He says that with such profound respect that tugs at my emotions.
My voice is shaky when I speak. “I appreciate that you came for me, even though you were mad at me. It says a lot about you as a person.”
His forehead touches mine for a long breath. “Being mad has nothing to do with it. I’ll always come for you, no matter what. I fuckin’ love you and want you to be my old lady.”
When he pulls back, I give him the full-throated apology he deserves.
“I love you too, and I think I always have. It’s one of the reasons I never tried to hook up with other men over the last four years.
That and being constantly on the run. I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you that you were Katie’s father as soon as we reconnected. I should have made that a priority.”
A relaxed grin jumps onto his face. “Ancient history, darlin’. Almost losing you to those assholes made me remember what’s important in life.”
“Thank God,” I tell him. “All I want is for us to settle down and raise our daughter.”
“You like living with me at the clubhouse?”
“Yeah, I love it. I like your suite. It’s clean and comfortable.
Katie has her own room, and your family is close.
I think Katie would have an absolute meltdown if she couldn’t see Queenie every day.
And, like you said before, it’s safe from any troubles that come our way.
Your club brothers might be a rowdy bunch but even I can see they’re bikers with a heart of gold.
” Running one hand up his chest, I add, “Kind of like you.”
His expression lights up and he gives me a sexy chin jerk. I know that means he wants me to kiss him. What woman could resist an opportunity to kiss the hot, sexy, tatted up biker of her dreams. Not this girl. I wrap my arm around his neck and pull him down for that kiss he wanted.
He lets me control the kiss for about five seconds before he takes over. His kisses are always fierce and hungry, and tonight is no different. His hands settle on my waist and he pulls me closer, guiding me onto the bed beside him.
My whole world narrows to the warmth of his touch, the feel of his lips against mine and the way the heat from his body seeps into mine, warming me to the core.
We lose ourselves in the moment. His touches are confident but he’s careful where he touches, artfully working around my injuries.
My arousal spikes, because Slate remembers exactly what I like and need.
Slate leans over me and his lips graze the side of my neck. “I thought I lost you today,” he whispers breathlessly in my ear.
“You didn’t lose me,” I whisper back. “That won’t ever happen again. I love you and I’m here to stay this time.”
He kisses me again. His mouth is warm and gentle with a hungry edge that speaks volumes about his need.
I slide my hands up his arms, feeling the thick corded muscle he’s taken a lifetime to build.
Everything about this man is masculine, rough and rugged.
His body and personality have been shaped by years of stepping up and carrying more than his share.
I love that about him but can’t help but wonder who steps up for him.
Probably his family, but I want to be the one who has his back, that makes him feel loved in a romantic way and needed as a man.
He’s a generous man who deserves someone to pay close attention to his needs and give back, instead of just taking.
As we tangle tongues, a slow heat builds at every point where our bodies touch.
He moves, rarely taking his eyes off me while he discards his clothing.
When he lifts the hem of my shirt, I eagerly lift my hands so he can pull it off.
While he reaches around to unhook my bra, I kick my jeans and panties off.
I’m desperate to reconnect after everything we’ve been through today.
Being naked and skin to skin with him has always been amazing and I want to experience that again.
His hands skim along my sides making my nipples hard and my pussy wet for him.
He kisses his way down my throat, and I tilt my head back, giving unspoken permission to do as he likes with me. I enjoy submitting to Slate because he never disappoints me.
When his talented tongue begins toying with my nipples, teasing them gently with his teeth and sucking on them, I can’t lay still and do nothing.
My hand comes up to caress his shoulders and I pull him closer.
He nips at the tender skin under my breasts making my arousal soar.
If I’m not careful this man is going to make me come from nipple play alone.
I run one hand through his hair, gathering it and pulling it back from his face. He likes it when I pull him back and urge him downwards. I can tell by the sexy smirk on his face.
“If you want me to lick that pretty pussy of yours, all you have to do is ask, darlin’.”
Fully aroused and looking him straight in the eye, I say, “Lick away. I’ve missed your talented tongue.”
His smirk melts away, replaced by something far more sincere. He glances away for a second before his eyes lift to mine again. His emotions are on full display, along with his vulnerability. “I’ve missed having you in my life, under me in bed, and the taste of you on my tongue.”
His rough words melt my heart. I cup his face in my hands and give the kind of long, adoring kiss he loves. When he happily moves down my body again, I spread my legs wider to make room for his big muscular body. And mercy, the things that man does with his tongue set my body on fire.
He circles my clit, slowly at first and then faster until I’m about to come all over the place. Then he slides one finger in and taps my g-spot. All it takes is one firm lick over my clit for me to come with his name on my lips.
I begin pulling him up because I want him inside me in the worst way.
Slate presses his forehead against mine and asks, “You want my thick cock right now or do you need to take a breather?”
“I want it now. Don’t make me wait.”
“You sure about that? You look like you need a break.” He teases that while licking my juices off his lips. And God, that just makes me hotter for him.
I reach down, grasp his cock, and place it where it needs to be because I’m not messing about.
He just chuckles and says, “Alrighty, one massive cock incoming.”
I honestly don’t know why Slate is so playful in bed when he’s pretty stoic the rest of the time, but I like it when he lets his guard down like this.
I wrap my legs around his waist and whisper words of encouragement as he presses himself inside, forcing me to slowly stretch to accommodate his thick cock.
And me? I can’t get enough of him. So, I lightly scratch his back and shoulders.
I know he likes the light kind of scratches best, so that’s what I do.
We get lost in his firm thrusts as we chase the pleasure we know we can find together.
And as always, I come first. My orgasm is so strong it feels like my head is going to explode.
I clench down around his cock so hard he hisses, but three strokes later he is emptying himself inside me.
“You’re a beautiful, generous woman, sweetness. And I’m glad you’re mine.”
“Right back at you, handsome,” I tell him breathlessly.
He wraps one lock of my hair around his finger and murmurs, “You have the best hair. Every time I touch it, it tries to coil itself around my finger.”
I can’t help but laugh. “It’s just naturally curly.”
He lets go of the lock and smiles down at me. “Do you think our next kid will look like you or are we gonna get another that has dominant Jackson family physical features, like Katie does?”
My head tilts up to stare at him in surprise. “What do you mean by next kid? We haven’t discussed having another baby.”
“Yeah, but we’re not using birth control either.”
My eyes pop open because he’s not wrong about that. “Oh hell, I should have thought about that.”
His grin turns mischievous, “It didn’t take me a hot minute to get you pregnant the last time. Maybe you already are?”
I think it over, kind of liking the idea. “Maybe this one will be a boy, all rough and tumble, like his father.”
“There’s no need to seduce me. I’m always down for another round or two.”
“You’re a demon in the sack,” I tease.
Smiling, he lifts me right onto his still hard cock.
I sink down, still sensitive from the orgasm we just shared.
When I’m flush with his body, I begin to move.
He brings his hands up, we lock our palms together and stare into each other’s eyes as I ride his glorious cock to our second orgasm of the night.