23. Chapter 23
Chapter 23
The Hound
I run my thumb along Cher’s mouth, wiping away the dribble of saliva on her puffy bottom lip. She’s so fucking alluring right now, disheveled and filled with my cum. I meant it when I said I had no intention of doing things this way, but now that it’s done, it’s done.
And she’s mine.
That thought swells my chest, and I brush my fingers along her jaw, trailing my way to her neck. She peers up at me in silence, her body trembling. I’ve never felt so fucking seen by a woman in my life, but I can’t risk us staying here any longer. I lift her to her feet, and she stands shakily.
“Share your location,” I say, nodding to her purse. “Or I’ll do this all over again.”
Her eyes flash with a challenge, but she quietly pulls her phone out, and mine pings moments later with the notification. I still haven’t delved into the phone that I was given, and it’s back to burning a hole in my pocket now that this is over.
I ignore it, and usher her out of the alley. However, Cher stops and turns to me as soon as we’re out on the street.
“I don’t want to go home right now.” It’s the first thing she’s said since she had my dick in her mouth, and it’s confident—but also tinged with an emotion that sounds like fear, maybe? I can’t entirely read it as she grabs my forearm. “Jude, please.”
“You can’t stay with me,” I say, even though I hate every fucking word coming out of my mouth. “Henry will murder me, and I have to figure out how to approach him. He busted my nose for thinking I just looked at you.”
“Don’t make me go home,” Cher urges. “I can tell him that I was out with Sarah and crashed at her place. He’ll never know. I’ll get a ride home tomorrow morning.” Desperation in her voice has my gut churning. “Please.”
I can’t tell her no. “Okay. You can stay with me tonight, and then we’ll figure it out.” I love that she wants to be with me, but I’m fucking concerned at what this might mean for Henry. It wouldn’t surprise me if he came looking for her, given how fucked up this evening went.
Lydia needs to get here.
She’s the best distraction possible—and needs to be around when I tell him about Cher and me. The moment she walks in a room, Henry is gone. It’ll be even more that way now they’ve been apart, and she’s his only voice of reason.
“I did it on purpose.” Cher’s voice comes out stronger, and the way she blushes when I turn my head to gaze down at her has my heart rattling my ribcage with an uneven canter.
“Yeah?” I chuckle. “It was courageous.”
Her soft smile fades as her eyes divert to her shoes. “I don’t think so.”
“I do.” I grab her hand and squeeze it. We’re walking straight into the unknown, and even though she’s mine in body, she still has so many secrets. I still don’t think she’s told me the full truth about anything at all.
But I’ll take the time it takes to peel her apart.
“You’re staying here? ” Cher’s surprise is etched into her expression as I lead her toward the entrance. Her eyes flicker back to the bar still banging on across the street. “Were you...”
“Yes, I was watching you—and will continue to.” I shrug my shoulders and guide her toward the elevator inside. “I’ll do whatever it takes to have you.”
She drops my hand as the doors slide shut. “Why? So you can piss off my brother? Did you just want to fuck me?” Her insecurities boil up, and the genuine way she wraps her arms around herself reminds me of a terrified child, determined to protect herself but unsure of how.
And I want to fucking annihilate whatever made her this way.
“I want you , Cher.” I reach for her, tugging her close to me. “All of you. I don’t want you so I can fuck you and piss off your brother. I want you, because you’re the most intriguing, broken, and beautiful woman I’ve ever fucking laid eyes on.”
“Okay.”
Okay?
The elevator chimes at the penthouse level, and I step out, nodding for her to follow. Maybe what I said wasn’t the right thing in her head, but it’s the truth. Well, that and she makes me feel seen—which is something I haven’t felt once in my entire life.
“The penthouse?” Cher questions, rocking onto her heels. “Interesting.”
“Yeah, I still enjoy the finer things in life occasionally.” I push the door in and let her enter first. “It’s a wreck. I had barely made it here before you decided to start messing with me.”
“Does it have a pet park?” Cher turns to me as she steps into the living room, her arms still wrapped around herself.
I shake my head. “I have no fucking clue. I’m sure there’s some sort of area for pets.”
“Maybe I can bring Cash?” She gives me this hopeful, sweet look, and I realize that she’s still being as genuine as before. She’s letting me in, one fucking toe at a time.
“Sure. You can bring Cash.” I don’t bother to mention what kind of reaction that’ll get from Henry. It’s not worth the risk of regression. “You can bring whatever you want.”
She nods, but as she does, her teeth begin to chatter, and eyes grow wet. Oh shit. Oh shit. What did I do? I go to her, pulling her into my arms. She melts into me, and I wish more than ever I knew what the fuck was going through her head. I can feel tears soaking my shirt, and her body shaking.
And I can only guess I fucked up in the alley.
“I’m sorry,” I murmur. “Maybe I should’ve forewarned you about my way of doing things.”
She stills, looking up at me. “What?”
I wipe the tears from her cheeks. “What happened in the alley. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done you—”
“No,” she cuts me off, laughing. “It was just what I needed.”
“Noted,” I mutter, my dick loving that idea. “I’ll make sure to pull you in every alley we pass. I’ve got years to make up for.”
She shakes her head, composing herself so fucking fast it’s almost creepy—another reason why I know there’s more to her. Cher lets out a sigh, and then peruses around the apartment for the next ten minutes, letting me watch her.
“It’s nice,” she says as she stops in front of the glass windows. “I like it.”
“Yeah?”
She nods, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the bedroom. I let her lead the way. In fact, I’ll always give her the notion that she’s got control of this situation. She’s an equal, of course, but she will crawl to me, begging me to fuck her like an animal eventually.
And I now have no doubts she craves that, too.
“I’m so tired,” she mutters as she dims the light of the luxurious master bedroom. It’s bigger than my NYC studio apartment, though the strange Vegas décor is a little much for me. No one needs flashing neon signs in their bedroom.
But it’s whatever.
“Here.” I reach for the bottom of her shirt, and she stiffens as I tug it upward.
“I can do it.” She swats my hand away, venom in her voice suddenly. “I don’t need you to take my clothes off.”
I consider arguing with her, but the sense of unease isn’t worth it. I want her to know she’s safe with me, and whatever that takes, I’ll do it. So, I step back, hands up in a low surrender. “Sorry.”
She eyes me as she removes her shirt, giving me a view of her perky breasts, hidden beneath her white bra. I want her all over again, but I won’t push her. Not right now. Instead, I pull my T-shirt off my head, undressing with her.
“Can I wear that?”
I grin at the way she’s so fucking timid—like I might actually tell her no. “Here. Wear all my clothes, for all I care.”
“Maybe I will.” She giggles, but as I approach her with the shirt, she stills again. Tucking the fabric under my arm, I brush my hand down her bare side and then slip around to her back. “Jude...” Her voice comes out in a warning, but it’s weak.
I brush my nose against her neck and kiss her skin as I unsnap her bra. “All of you is mine, and if I want to touch what’s mine, I can.”
“What if I don’t want you to?” she chokes out as I slide her bra off her and drop it to the floor.
“Then you better start saying something,” I chide her, nipping at her earlobe before pulling away.
“Would it matter if I told you ‘no?’” She asks with an earnestness in her voice. Her eyes search my face as I slide the collar over her head, taking in the sight of her bare breast and erect nipples quickly before letting it drop.
“I guess if you told me ‘no,’ then that would be the answer, wouldn’t it?” I bite down on my lip as I slip my hands under the shirt and tug at the waist of her leggings. She’s not telling me to stop now, and I realize everything is a dance with this woman.
“I don’t know...” She catches her breath as I drop to my knees, taking the leggings with me. She places a hand on me as she slowly wriggles her feet the rest of the way out of them. I toss them to the spot with her bra, leaning into her and kissing her thighs.
Ravenous hunger sears through my body as I catch the scent of us in between her legs. I want to taste every inch of her, claim every part of her right now , but as I kiss my way up, her hands stop me.
“No.”
I don’t know if I’ve hit a nerve, or if she’s testing me...But either way, I need her to trust me. I rest my head against the top of her thighs, and sigh, pushing away the disappointment. “Okay.”
Her hands graze my skin as I stand to my feet, undoing my jeans and dropping them to the floor. Cher’s eyes drop to my rigid cock, but I ignore the way it’s throbbing for her. I flip back the covers and turn the light the rest of the way out, letting the city that never sleeps be the only glow in the room.
“Come on,” I urge her with a soft tone.
She drops her eyes and slips past me, grabbing my hand and taking me with her. I climb into the bed beside her and wrap her up in my arms, once again reminded of just how small she is.
“Thank you,” she whispers in the dark as I rest my cheek against her silky hair.
“Anything for you.” I close my eyes, letting the sound of her breathing lull me to sleep. I still need to see what’s on that phone, but the truth is...
It doesn’t fucking matter in this moment.
Nothing will drive me away from her.
Nothing.