"What's wrong? Hmm ... Okay. Let me see, Rhys." The way she snips my name out p.i.s.ses me the f.u.c.k off, but I got her talking. The sooner I figure out her problem, the sooner I can f.u.c.k her. "I killed someone. I'm on the run with my mother. My mother is hurt to the point of being doped up most of the time. I pretty much lied to the cops, pulling s.h.i.t out of my a.s.s that I have no idea how I came up with. Once she gets better, I'm pretty sure I'll never be able to return home. She has no house, and no one will tell me what happened to my apartment. We have no money. I have no job. And I don't know what in the h.e.l.l I'm going to do!" By the last sentence, she has pulled away from my arms and is now sitting straight, looking at me like I'm the one losing my s.h.i.t.

"Babe, it'll all work out," I tell her, which makes her cackle. f.u.c.k, I hate that laugh.

"Sure. Just like magical fairies are going to come down, p.o.o.p out rainbows, and make everything perfect and wonderful."

I chuckle at her dramatics. "Stop being a smart a.s.s."

She rolls her eyes. "You don't get it."

"I get more than you think. You've got a lot of s.h.i.t weighing on you and don't know what to do. I get it. But you need to calm your s.h.i.t so it can get better."

"And how do you suppose I just forget everything that is wrong and make everything better?" she asks.

"Oh, I've got ways."

Her eyes widen as she sucks in a breath.

I lean in and brush my lips slowly against hers. "I know lots of different ways, Sprite."

Her entire body full-out shivers as I feel her heart thumping in her chest.

"Want me to make you forget?"

Her eyes search mine for a moment, a storm brewing inside of them. "Yes," she whispers.

I waste not a second before kissing her, lifting her, and carrying her straight to my room. If I'm f.u.c.king her, I'm doing it in my d.a.m.n bed.

I kick the door shut, turn her, and then press her against the door before lifting her hands above her head then slamming my lips to hers. The kiss is intense and brutal as h.e.l.l, but she meets me at each turn, blowing my mind. She doesn't struggle out of my grip and gives in, completely melting into me.

My free hand traces the curves over her body from breast to hip, her skin so f.u.c.king soft against my rough fingertips. Tanner shifts her feet as my hand goes under her shirt, feeling her warm skin as I painstakingly inch the shirt up. I break the kiss long enough to get the shirt over her head and off her body.

Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s are gloriously full and gorgeous.

Tanner continues to kiss me back, not protesting in the slightest. Good.

I unb.u.t.ton her jean shorts and push them down over her beautiful hips. Then I step back abruptly, needing to see her. She moans at the loss, but doesn't move her hands from above her head, even though I am no longer holding them there.

Tanner's body is s.e.xy as f.u.c.k. Sure, there are some bruises, but who gives a f.u.c.k? A light pink lace bra holds her b.r.e.a.s.t.s in place, and the matching underwear only makes me want to tear them off her body. A flower and b.u.t.terfly tattoo expertly weaves up the side of her body. f.u.c.k me.

Her chest rises and falls heavily, her eyes liquid. I'm gonna make her burn with need, burn to have me inside of her. Burn.

"On the bed," I order.

Her eyes flicker as a pink tint forms in her cheeks. She hesitates then complies and climbs on the black comforter.

Watching her move that body is the biggest f.u.c.king turn on. The way her hips sway and that tight a.s.s ... My b.a.l.l.s draw up tight, and it takes everything in me to will them down.

"Arms up."

Tanner stills like some light went on in her head, and her body begins to coil as her thoughts begin to kick in. I move swiftly to the bed and place my lips on hers, kissing her deeply and hard. I need her to stop thinking and just feel.

Her hands come to my head, and I immediately grab them and put them above hers. I don't let anyone touch my head. When I was younger, I couldn't control that, now I can and refuse to be touched there. Tanner is too lost in the kiss to care. I feel each of her muscles relax before I pull away.

"Keep them there," I demand.

She nods her head softly in compliance.

With my fingertips, I trace the side of her face, her neck, her collarbone, feeling her skin b.u.mp and shiver under my touch. I pull one breast out, tucking the wire under it to hold it up. Then I hold her flesh in my hand and begin to ma.s.sage as Tanner's body arches. Responsive little thing. Wait until I get to her nipples. I'm pretty sure I'll have to tie her down to keep her still.

I trail my tongue on the same path my fingers just made and end up at her glorious t.i.ts. I am a t.i.ts and a.s.s man. f.u.c.king love that s.h.i.t. The bigger and rounder, the f.u.c.king better, and Tanner has that s.h.i.t in spades.

I lick all around her breast, not touching her pebbled nipple, as she groans in agony. Sucking her flesh in my mouth, I give her a small nip with my teeth, and her body jerks. She has no idea what I'm going to do to this beautiful body of hers.

When I touch just the tip of my tongue to the tip of her nipple and give it a small flutter, Tanner's body wiggles.

"Settle," I command.

"I can't when you're doing that," she pants out.

I lift from her breast and search her eyes. They are dilated and on fire, just like the rest of her hot, little body. "I control this. You got me?"

She lets out a huff of air. "Control what?"

Sprite doesn't even know she's submitting. f.u.c.k, now that's a beautiful thing, natural, none of that fake s.h.i.t that I can see a mile away just to f.u.c.k me.

"s.e.x. You do as I say."

Her body stills at my words. "No. s.e.x is a give and take," she combats.

I want to laugh, but refrain. She needs to know where I stand in this scenario.

"You're right. I'm going to give you pleasure, and you're gonna take it."

"Rhys, I ..."

I move up her body quickly and kiss her furiously. I keep going until her entire body melts into the mattress. I then pull away to find her eyes are still closed.

"Tanner?" Her eyes flutter open softly. "I control this. You do what I say. I'm making you forget," I remind her.

"Okay," she says so softly I almost don't hear.

Her hands come back down to my neck.

"Tanner, do I need to tie your hands above your head, or can you keep them there?" I ask. h.e.l.l if I know what experience she has. She may have none and not know anything.

Her eyes widen. "Tie me?" She must have thought I was joking earlier. I sure as s.h.i.t was not.

"Yeah, babe. You trust me to tie you up?"

Something flashes in her irises. "I'll keep them up here." She moves her hands back above her head and grabs on to the slats of the headboard. It's good she doesn't trust me, not yet, but she does follow directions well.

Using my mouth, tongue, and the scruff of my beard, I move down her body, my c.o.c.k growing and aching in my jeans. I unlatch my jeans and kick them off, my d.i.c.k instantly feeling relief from the pressure.

I'm a very controlled man, and the fact that Tanner is seriously testing it isn't something I need to be thinking about right now.

I pull my shirt off and make my way between her legs where I rip her panties off before latching on to her c.l.i.t, sucking hard as she bucks. I rest my arm over her hips, holding her down to the bed as I continue sucking with small nips in the process. She sets off like a rocket, screaming, but I don't let up. f.u.c.k that. I want her coming again before I take her.

"Rhys," she pants, and my d.i.c.k squeezes. f.u.c.k, I need inside of her.

I make quick work of setting her off again, and as she erupts, I continue moving my fingers fast as my other hand puts the condom on.

"Sprite, get ready. I wanna draw this out, but can't wait."

Sliding inside of her is the heaven I know I don't deserve. I shouldn't be the one to have this right now, but I'm f.u.c.king taking it. I've never been a n.o.ble man and don't plan on starting today.

The walls of her p.u.s.s.y clamp down on me, and I have to halt myself for a moment to hold my s.h.i.t together. I can't be coming like a f.u.c.king teenager.

"What are you ...?" Her words stop as I thrust hard into her, feeling her so d.a.m.n deep I'm pretty sure I may not ever want to f.u.c.king leave. "Please," she begs.

I lose all control. It snaps like a rubber band. My hips move quickly while I latch on to her nipple and suck on it hard as her p.u.s.s.y squeezes me in response. f.u.c.k, yes. I give her no reprieve, losing myself in Tanner.

I m.u.f.fle her screams with my lips as her o.r.g.a.s.m hits and mine follows. For long moments, we stay exactly like that, my lips only moving from her so I can breathe. Her pants turn me on, and I f.u.c.king want her again.

I pull out of her and roll off to the side. "Be back." I clean up and come back to the bed.

Tanner's eyes are closed, and her breathing is even. f.u.c.k, she fell asleep. I climb into bed, pulling the covers over both of us then tucking her into my arms. I try not to think of why I'm doing this, allowing her slow breathing to carry me off to sleep.

I WAKE WITH a start and take in my surroundings through my grogginess. Opening my eyes, I find Rhys lying next to me, his eyes closed and his breathing slow and deep, the ripples of his chest in tune with his intakes and exhales. He's on his back, his head pointed up to the ceiling. His side profile is strong, demanding, and p.r.o.nounced. Small scars play on the side of his cheek and his neck, but between his scruff and tattoos, they are hard to see. If I wasn't this close, I wouldn't have seen them. They're faint like they have been there for many, many years.

I just let this man screw me to the point that I pa.s.sed out in his bed. This is not me, and it hasn't a thing to do with his age. This is not something I would do. I don't go to bed with random men and let them have s.e.x with me, have them tell me they are going to tie me up. The few times I tried the tying up thing, it was with a boyfriend I fully trusted. Of course, it ended flat, but at least I tried. However, Rhys knows what he is doing. He knows exactly what places to hit on a woman's body to make her scream. He is definitely experienced, way more so than any man I have ever been with.

He absolutely has more ink than anyone I've ever been with, too. There's so much ink it covers his arms, neck, and part of his chest. I have to admit, it's a huge turn on.

What in the h.e.l.l am I doing? I can't be with this guy. He's scary as h.e.l.l. One look from that man and I swear Superman, Batman, and Captain America would crumble to the ground and beg for forgiveness. He asked me if I trusted him, and I guess I trusted him with my body, but in reality, I don't think so.

He was sensational, though. I haven't had an o.r.g.a.s.m, or I should say o.r.g.a.s.ms, like that ever. I didn't even know I could have them to the point where all logical reasoning is completely gone, and all that is left is what you feel. It was the most wonderful euphoria I have ever experienced. Not only that, but even after waking me up through the night, this big, strong, scary man actually took care of me afterward, holding me until my tremors subsided, and then I must have pa.s.sed out because I don't remember anything after that. But it was tender and, dare I say, sweet. No, Rhys is anything but sweet. Sweet doesn't even come close.

I need to get the h.e.l.l out of here, get back to my mom, and get as far away from this man as I can. I can't let the way me makes me feel cloud my better judgment. This man screams bad, and I have enough bad going on.

His chest is still rising and falling steadily, so I pull the sheet up, covering my naked and well-used body, and slip out of bed.

A strong hand grips my arm, stopping me. c.r.a.p.

"Where are you going?" Rhys asks.

I close my eyes and suck in deeply, sitting up on the bed with my back to him. "I'm going to check on my mom."

His fingers flex into my flesh, giving me a slight bite of pain. The bed behind me shifts, but his touch doesn't leave. "I'm not done with you yet."

G.o.d, that man and his s.e.xy, deep voice. My body trembles and screams at me to do it, and I try to block it out, but it seems to get louder and louder as the seconds tick by.

Rhys's other hand comes to my leg and draws lazy circles with his thumb. With each movement, nerves flair to life, and I close my eyes, breathing out deeply.

"I have to go," I tell him with what little control I have. Too bad it comes out weak and breathy. s.h.i.t.

Rhys moves his body behind me, straddling me, his front to my back, his hands around my stomach. His lips graze the curve of my neck, up and down erotically, and my head tilts, giving him better access. His hand snakes up, grabbing one of my b.r.e.a.s.t.s and squeezing it. Then he pulls my earlobe into his mouth and sucks hard, and sparks of want and need dance in a kaleidoscope in my belly.

"Your body's telling me you want to stay." He rolls my nipple between his fingers, giving it a pinch, and my body jerks. "See what I mean."

I try my d.a.m.nedest to clear the fog that is this man, but I can't. My center is slick and throbbing. I need him to release it, to release this coil that is so tightly wound inside of me.

He wraps his arm around my hair and pulls my head back so my chin is pointing up to the ceiling. "I'm taking those f.u.c.king lips," he growls before slamming his lips down to mine. G.o.d, I love how he just takes what he wants.

I follow his lead, fully admitting that, when I'm like this, being devoured by this man, every thought, every fear, every trouble disappears, and I feel so light. This is the feeling that I crave from him, the one that only he has been able to give me.

He breaks the kiss, and I gasp for breath, finally remembering that I needed it.

"Stay," he orders, releasing my hair as he reaches for the nightstand, grabbing a condom.

As his hard erection presses into my back, my core begs for him, pleading to be taken. I clench my hands into the sheets, surprised I'm not ripping them from my strength.

My body obeys him as his hands come to my hips, and he lifts me effortlessly.

"Put it in," he orders.

I reach down, grabbing his thick length and placing it at my entrance. He only allows the tip inside of me, and even though I wiggle, it gets me nowhere. His arms are strong and unyielding.

I groan in agony. Everything he touches is on fire.

"Legs together."

I comply, and he feels even thicker this way.

"Come down on me, baby." He releases his hands, and without any help from me, he slides all the way inside my body, shocking my already sensitive nerves. I don't move, only feel every inch of him, my hands resting on his thighs for support. "Feet to the floor and one step up."

I still for a moment. He wants me to stand with him inside of me? How does that work?

Rhys doesn't wait. He pushes me off the bed, and my feet land firmly on the floor while my hands rest on my knees, holding up my body. The back of my calves touch the bed as he remains inside of me. Then he starts moving his hips off the bed, all the while holding my hips exactly where he wants them.

The slide of him inside of me builds quickly as he picks up the pace. I want to turn around and see how in the h.e.l.l he's able to hold my hips and have enough muscle to plunge in and out of me, but I don't. I can't. I'm too lost in his touch. Each slide in and out touches a part of me that sizzles and flames. I just need something more to push me over. I can't ...

A hard slap comes to my hip, and I explode, the flames becoming an inferno, filling every part of my body. I close my eyes as the wails and screams fall from my lips. There is no stopping them. There is no controlling them. I can't. All I can do is let the sensations flow through my body.

Rhys slams me down hard on his lap as his arms come around my waist, holding me to his body as he releases with a grunt. We sit exactly like this for long moments as I lay my head back on his shoulder, trying to get my breathing under control. I don't know if I'm succeeding or not.

His hands brush up and down my sides as I come back to myself, his length inside of me still semi-hard.

"Morning," he growls, and I smile.