She'd been swept up in the idea of being a fabulous lady like the women she saw on reality TV. But the truth was that at the end of the day, Lola really just wanted to wear a pair of nice blue jeans, a tank top, and a pair of hiking boots.
As long as she was with Gauge, she would always feel like a princess, no matter what she wore.
"You know Gauge, I think you're right," she said.
Gauge grabbed a shopping cart and they started throwing things inside. Half a dozen pairs of jeans and cargo pants. A jacket, hiking boots, and a hat for the sun and rain.
Lola was having so much fun shopping, she almost forgot about Justin and the horrors she’d experienced over the last few years. Almost. When she passed a man who had a similar build to her stepbrother, she took a step back and turned toward Gauge, leaning into his arms.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“I just had a flashback, I think,” she whispered into his shoulder.
He held her close and kissed the top of her head, rubbing her back affectionately.
“Is there anything I can do?” he asked.
“You’re doing it,” she said, letting out a sigh.
“You’ll probably be shaken up for a while, babe. But I’ll always be here for you. If you need to punch someone in the face, you can punch me.”
She giggled and pulled away, feeling her joy return.
“Good to know,” she said, giggling. “Let’s see what kind of crossbows they have here.”
“I forgot you’re a bow hunter,” he said, walking beside her into the bow department.
The man behind the counter greeted them and directed his attention to Gauge.
“How can I help you?” the salesman asked.
“My mate here is a serious bow hunter, and she’s in the market for a new crossbow.”
“We have some excellent bows designed specifically for a woman’s shorter reach.”
“Do you have any Shadow point bows?”
“We do.”
“I’ve always wanted one. I know they’re super expensive. My stepdad would never buy one for me. He said a bow for a woman wasn’t worth that much money.”
“Well, we’ll have to fix that today,” Gauge said, lifting the bow off the rack.
He handed it to Lola. She hefted it in her hands and then took aim, looking through the scope. It felt perfect to her and it reminded her how much she really did enjoy the outdoors. Maybe with Gauge by her side, she could reclaim the missing parts of herself she’d lost because of her stepfather and stepbrother.
“How does it feel?” the salesman asked.
“Perfect,” she said.
“We’ll take it,” Gauge said.
They purchased the bow and several packs of arrows before purchasing everything else in their cart and heading back out to the truck. Lola was so excited, her heart pounded in her chest like a bass drum in a marching band.
As they climbed into the truck and started home, stopping at a drive-through coffee place before hitting the highway, Lola felt her soul begin to open back up to the light of love.
She finally felt like things could be good again. For the first time in so very long.
Chapter 16
When they got home that night, Lola was bursting with excitement and gratitude. Gauge had shown her things she’d thought she’d never get to be a part of.
They carried the shopping bags inside and laid them across the dining room table. Lola went through her things while Gauge ordered a pizza from Fate Mountain Pizza to be delivered to his house.
She hung all her new dresses on hangers and brought them up to Gauge’s room. Neither of them had talked about where she would be living now, but it seemed self-explanatory. They were moving in together, but they still hadn’t made love.
While she was hanging up her things, Gauge came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Pizza’s here,” he said before kissing her cheek from behind.
“Supreme with extra olives, just like you said you liked it.”
“As far as I can recall. I can’t remember the last time I had pizza.”
“Those men were monsters,” he said.
She giggled. They truly were monsters. But Gauge was helping her put things into perspective with his joke about the pizza. Her stepfather and stepbrother had kept so much of life away from her. The only way to deal with it was to find the humor.
“They were monsters,” she agreed. “I don’t know how I survived it.”
“I do,” he said, leading her back downstairs to find the dining room table filled with pizza boxes, bread sticks, chicken wings, brownies, and soda. Her stomach grumbled.
They’d eaten at an upscale cafe for lunch, but the smell of pizza really did it for her.
“If you keep feeding me like this, I’m going to get fat.”
Gauge grunted. “Babe, you’re hot as hell no matter what. But I’d love to see those curves filled out some more. You spent too much time on that mountain.” He gave her a light squeeze and she sighed with pleasure.
They sat down for a good old fashioned pig out, which left Lola feeling high off all the delicious carbs and yummy pepperoni.
They took the dessert into the living room and watched a light romantic comedy, holding each other close. Lola was feeling so good that she couldn’t imagine feeling any better. Then she realized Gauge had a massive erection he’d been trying to hide from her. As the credits rolled on the screen, she looked up into his bright blue eyes.
“I’m sorry I’m making you wait for me,” she whispered, cupping his cheek in her hand.
He caught her hand and looked intently into her eyes. “I would wait a thousand lifetimes to be with you.”
“I don’t want to torture you,” she said.
“Waiting for you is anything but torture.”
But Lola knew enough about shifters from all the things she’d heard from her stepfather and stepbrother to be able to piece together a few things that were probably true.
When a shifter found his mate, he felt a driving compulsion to mate with her. Gauge’s bear would drive him mad until he marked her and claimed her as his own.
“Isn’t your bear giving you trouble?”
“Well, yeah. But he’s happy you’re here and safe. That’s enough for now. I’d never move faster than what you’re comfortable with.”
“I think I’m ready,” she whispered, moving her hand to place her palm on his chest, right above his heart.
He grasped her wrist and let out a long sigh, closing his eyes and tilting back his head. He opened them again and looked at her with the sincerest expression, it made her heart weep with joy.
“I want you more than anything in this world, babe,” he said, unable to hide the tension in his voice.
“I want you to take me now, Gauge. I want to feel the primal desire you feel for me overflow and fill me with its intensity.”
“You don’t know what you’re saying,” he protested, looking away.
“I do. I know exactly what I’m saying. You’re the best man I’ve ever known. I desire you, just as much as you desire me. It was me that kissed you in the forest. And it’s me that’s asking you to take me. I want it.”
He let out a soft growl and gently lifted her off the couch, holding her in his strong arms. She gasped as he hefted her in the air and began to walk with her up the stairs.
He kicked open the door of his bedroom and gently laid her across his big, comfy bed.
Lola shivered with anticipation and Gauge slowly climbed over her, pressing his lips to hers in an infinitely tender kiss.
She shuddered under him, her body awakening with desire that seemed to explode out of empty space.
She wrapped her arms around him and held him close, pushing her tongue through his full, warm lips. Their mouths danced as they tasted each other in leisurely kisses that told her he was willing to take his time with her.
“Gauge,” she whispered. “I’ve never been with
a man.”
“I know, babe,” he said. “Tell me if you want me to stop. I’ll stop.”
“Don’t stop,” she said, tilting her face toward him so she could kiss him again. His hands moved over her body, teasing out her desire with each soft caress.
Gauge lowered himself between her legs, pressing his hardness against her soft core. She gasped with pleasure when she felt him there. It was exquisite. Pleasure pulsed through her and she groaned into his mouth.
His hands roved her body, squeezing her breasts and caressing her hips. He slid his hand under her skirt as he kissed her neck and chest. Lola’s heartbeat quickened and her breaths came in gusty pants. She groaned when he licked her ear and ran his hand over her taut nipple. Gauge changed position and pulled her dress up over her head in a quick motion. She lay under him in her panties and bra, an excited thrill pulsing through her blood.
Gauge kissed her gently as he unfastened her bra. She covered her breasts, remembering the last and only time a man had looked at them. That night with Justin. Gauge cupped her cheek and kissed her slowly, gently pulling her hands away from her breasts. They were small but he ran his tongue over her petite body as if he loved every inch with all that was in him. His stiff, wet tongue flicked over the peaked mound of her nipple, pulling a moan from her lips.
He sucked her into his mouth, nibbling on her arousal. Her need sparked brighter, electric and sharp. She wanted him inside her. She didn’t care if it hurt. Lola reached down to pull off her panties, hot and wet for her mate’s touch.
“I need you, Gauge,” she gasped.
He pulled her hand back and laid it on the pillow before sliding his own fingers into the sides of her delicate satin underpants. He pulled them down her hips, the patch of fabric between her legs completely soaked through. He brought her panties to his nose and took a long pull of her scent, smiling down at her.
Lola shuddered, her body tensing and her nipples pricking harder. Her knees shook as she watched him descend down her body, kissing each of her curves.
He closed his eyes and ran his hot tongue up the length of her pussy and groaned at the taste of her.
“You’re like honey,” he growled, licking up her juices.
Lola arched her back, never before having felt something so erotic. She ran her hands over her body, cupping her breasts, her eyes tightly shut. She felt Gauge’s hands grip her hips as he eagerly lapped up her sex.
He pressed his tongue against her tight bud, flicking it in little circles. She mewled, gripping the bedsheets.
“Oh god,” she groaned, running her fingers through Gauge’s cropped blond hair.
He increased his pressure and speed, holding her hips tight in his hands. Lola threw her head back and gasped, her mouth wide open and her eyes tightly shut. The explosion of pleasure in her core radiated through her thighs, her legs and out her toes. It shot out her nipples and sent electric sparks out through her heart. She tensed as she came, her whole body going rigid. But then it smoothed out into complete surrender. Gauge kissed her sensitive thighs and stomach as he rose back over her.
“Gauge,” she whispered, cupping his cheek.
He kissed her hard, pressing his hard cock against her quivering pussy. She spread her legs wider, willing him inside her. But he pulled back, ripping a condom from its pack and sliding it down over his shaft. She gasped at the size of it, seeing it fully erect for the first time. She licked her lips and groaned when he pressed the head of it against her opening.
He rubbed his cock back and forth over her wetness, kissing her neck just behind her ear. He slid against her opening but held still.
“Are you ready, baby?” he asked her.
“Yes,” she breathed under his wide chest, holding him close.
“Tell me to stop if it hurts,” he whispered.
Gauge pushed forward, sliding into her tight channel. Lola gasped at the size of it, stretching her around him. She moaned and he pulled back, just to slide in again, just a bit deeper. She grasped at his back, encouraging him to continue. He pushed further and she shucked in a deep breath through her teeth. It smarted.
Gauge stopped, pulled back and kissed her, rubbing his thumb over her clit. He sucked her nipples and then slid deeper, this time, pushing all the way through.
She groaned and clung to him, knowing he’d taken her. Lola dug her newly painted nails into his back and dragged them across his flesh. Gauge sucked a breath in her ear.
“Yeah baby,” he whispered. “I like it.”
Lola moaned and giggled, arching under his powerful hips. He pulled back and drove into her, thrusting fully for the first time. Lola’s eyes rolled back in her head at the intensity of it. Suddenly her body was alive with a completely new awareness. Lola looked up into his face and bit her lip, wanting so much more of what he could give.
“I like that,” she breathed.
“Oh yeah?” he said, pulling back to thrust again.
This time he didn’t stop. Lola mewled as his hips moved in a rocking rhythm into her softness. Her breasts bounced from the impact, and he sucked them into his mouth, one after the other. Lola put her arms back behind her head, riding the waves of pleasure that were Gauge. His powerful hips dove into her, bringing her closer and closer to a totally new kind of climax.
She gasped and her eyes went wide. A long moan flowed from between her lips and then she went silent. The pleasure seemed to have no bounds. The space between her and Gauge ceased to exist, and she was lost in the infinity of his body inside hers. He leaned down and kissed her neck, his teeth pressing hard against her tender flesh.
“I’m going to mark you,” he growled.
“Yes,” she groaned, but the last letter was cut off as he bit down on her neck.
Her body tensed and he thrust into her, making her come again. The bite sliced through her, awakening something beyond comprehension. She felt Gauge enter her soul, the mark binding them to each other in an eternal embrace.
He thrust again, this time, releasing his seed in a hot rush. Lola held him close, secure in his love for her. His teeth slowly retracted from her neck. Gauge withdrew and turned over onto his back as he held Lola against his chest.
He reached down and threw the condom in the garbage and then put both arms around Lola, kissing her on the head.
“Are you okay?” he asked her.
“Of course, I’m with you.”
She squeezed him harder and listened to his heartbeat under her ear. His strength and tenderness radiated from within him, and she felt bathed in his love. She closed her eyes, feeling their hearts and breaths synchronize. She knew that they were now as one.
Chapter 17
They took their seats behind the district attorney in the Portland courtroom, and Gauge looked down into Lola’s face. Her eyes were shining as if she were holding back tears. Gauge squeezed her hand just a little more tightly to let her know that he was there for her.
She smiled weakly at him and watched the jury walk into the courtroom and take their seats.
"All rise for the Honorable Judge Cole," said the Bailiff. The judge walked into the room, wearing his black robe and took his seat at the bench. The courtroom was instructed to sit and everyone took their places.
The judge called the courtroom to order, and the attorneys for both sides gave their opening statements. As they listened to the defense lawyer give his statement, Gauge felt Lola bristle by his side.
Justin’s attorney was trying to make Justin look like some kind of cultural hero when in fact he was just a drug dealer and a terrorist. Gauge didn't want Lola to have to go through this, but he also knew she was strong enough. At the end she would be proud of herself for what she had helped accomplish.
Several experts gave testimony and then additional witnesses were called to the stand. It wasn't until later that Lola was finally called to give her testimony. Gauge squeezed her hand and smiled at her as she rose from her seat and walked down the aisle to be sworn in on the witness stand.
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"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" the bailiff asked.
"I do," Lola said.
The judge invited her to sit, and she took her place in the witness stand. She was wearing the smart little skirt suit they had bought in Portland the day they’d gone shopping. Lola had put on some weight and was filling out her clothes attractively. Gauge couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked today, even with the pained and nervous expression on her face.
"State your name for the court," the district attorney said.
"My name is Lola Lockheart."
"And how do you know the defendant?"
"Justin Lockheart is my stepbrother. My mother married his father when I was ten years old."
"And how would you describe your relationship with Justin Lockheart?"
"I would describe my relationship with my stepbrother, Justin Lockheart, as being highly combative and abusive."
There was a stir in the courtroom as several people in the audience whispered. Justin himself growled beside his defense attorney.
"Could you describe these abuses you claim you suffered at the hands of your stepbrother, Justin Lockheart, the defendant?"
"When I was thirteen years old and he was twenty-three, he touched me for the first time in a sexually inappropriate manner."
"Was this the only time he touched you in this way?"
"No. When I was eighteen years old, the night after I graduated from high school, he sexually assaulted me by pushing me down on the ground, ripping off my shirt and masturbating on my chest."
"And after the incident on your graduation day, what happened?
"Justin promised me he would never assault me again. But I didn't believe him. Five years later he forced me to move up onto the compound where he cooks crystal in a cave. I was a prisoner there. He consistently threatened to rape or murder me if I ever tried to leave. He often suggested that he would allow the men to share me if I betrayed him in any way. The night the police raided the compound, he punched me unconscious. He told me that he was going to kill me."