“I understand if you're still angry at me. You have every right to be.” I leaned toward her. “I just have to know if you think you'll ever be able to forgive me.”
And then I waited to see if I was too late.
Chapter Twelve
Bryne
That was a lot of information to process. When I told Dax that I wanted to know everything, I hadn't thought that everything would be so much.
It all made sense. The shop being part of some front for illegal activity. Dax not wanting me there and acting weird when I did show up. All of the secrets. The disappearances without explanations.
He was trying to protect me.
I appreciated the gesture, but not how he'd gone about it. I could forgive his actions because I understood his motives, but that wasn't enough.
I let my eyes meet his, let myself finally see and accept the remorse I saw there. For the first time since I'd met him, his gaze was open, vulnerable. He was letting me see everything, the good and the bad.
Which meant I now had to figure out how I felt about it.
“I need to know what it means,” I said finally. “What you said to Gavin. Why you came here.”
“I love you, Bryne.” He reached out, putting his palm on my cheek. “I didn't mean to fall in love. Hell, I tried to fight it, but I can't. And I don't want to. Not anymore. I want you in my life. Not for sex, but for everything.”
For a moment, I couldn't breathe. He was saying all of the things I'd been wanting to hear. It seemed too good to be true.
I needed to make sure that it wasn't before I said or did something I regretted.
“I can forgive you,” I said. His face lit up, but I continued without waiting for him to say anything, “But I can't be with someone who's going to lie to me.”
His expression fell, and he dropped his hand. “I understand.”
He started to rise, but I grabbed the front of his shirt. His head jerked up. “If you lie to me again, hide something from me that doesn't have to do with a nice surprise, we're done. No extra chances. I can't promise I'll forgive you if you mess up too badly, but if you're honest about it, I'll at least listen. If you lie, I won't care what your motives are. I'll never speak to you again.”
He put his hands over mine. “I swear, Bryne, never again.”
I searched his face, looking for any hint of insincerity, any indication that he didn't completely mean what he was saying. When I didn't see any, I gave in and did what I'd been wanting to do from the moment I heard him tell Gavin that he'd fallen in love with me.
I pulled him toward me, our mouths crashing together. Beneath the heat and electricity that came as his lips moved over mine was a feeling of safety, of home. His hand slid behind my head, fingers tangling in my curls, holding me in place as he deepened the kiss. I shivered as his tongue traced along my bottom lip, then parted my lips so he could slide it inside. The hand not in my hair was at my waist, his fingers beneath my sweatshirt, gliding across my skin, leaving fire burning wherever he touched.
“Bryne,” he gasped as he broke the kiss. His voice was rough, his eyes dark. “I want you.”
I nodded, unable to put into words how much I needed him. I wondered if this was what addicts felt, this irresistible craving that only one thing could cure. I could understand now why it was so difficult to break an addiction. Now that I had him, I wasn't sure I could ever let him go.
He grabbed the waistband of my pants and yanked them down, taking my panties with them. The movement threw me off balance, but before I could steady myself, he draped my legs over his shoulders and buried his face in my pussy.
The sound that came out of my mouth could only be described as a wail, and I might've been embarrassed if I could've thought of anything other than the sensation of his tongue moving over my clit in hard, fast strokes. I dug my fingers into his hair, nails scratching his scalp as I came, almost violently, pleasure ripping through me like an assault on every nerve in my body.
But he didn't stop, only slowed down, lips and tongue gentle as they caressed every inch of me. He didn't say anything, didn't murmur sweet words or promises, but I could feel everything he meant. I wasn't nearly so quiet. When he slid two fingers inside me, I swore. Between the steady suction on my clit and the rhythmic strokes of his fingers, another orgasm was rapidly approaching, and it wasn't long before I was begging him to let me come again. The moment he crooked his fingers to press against my g-spot, he lightly bit down on my clit, and I practically screamed.
By the time I finally came down, he was sitting back on his heels, a smug expression on his face as he rubbed his hand over his head.
“Pretty sure you pulled out some hair,” he said and glanced over his shoulder. “I'm surprised your uncle didn't come bursting in, with as much noise as you were making.”
I flushed as I flipped him off. “They own a sex club. I'm guessing that's not the first time they've heard someone screaming from an orgasm.”
“It better be the first time they've heard you.”
My stomach flipped as his voice did that growly, possessive thing that I knew I shouldn't like so much. “You think I managed to pick someone up between Friday night and tonight? I'm not the one Cleo said had been with her all week.”
He raised an eyebrow, then reached down to pull off his shirt. My mouth went dry as the light winked off of the metal piercing his nipple. Damn. I wondered if I'd ever be able to see him without a shirt and not want to lick and bite every hard inch of him.
“One of these days,” he stood as he spoke, “I'm going to spank your ass for saying something like that.”
He kicked off his pants, and my still-throbbing pussy tightened. I wanted him inside me so badly that it almost hurt. But that wasn't the sort of hurt I wanted first. I raised my eyes to meet his.
“Why not now?”
He stilled, eyes narrowing. “Don't tempt me, babe. I don't have as much self-control as you think when it comes to you.”
Before I could second guess myself, I rolled over and raised my hips. “I like the thought of you losing control.”
I squealed in surprise as he sat down and pulled me over his lap in one smooth motion. My shirt pushed up, his cock pressing against my stomach. He ran one hand over my ass even as the other was under my sweatshirt, unhooking my bra. I wriggled, wanting him to touch me, then gasped as he gave me a firm smack.
“Behave.”
“My shirt,” I complained. “I want it off.”
Another smack, this one hard enough to sting.
“I'll take it off when I want it off.”
A finger slid between my cheeks, and I moaned as he rubbed the tip against that tight ring of muscle.
“Soon, baby.” He removed his hand. “Trust me, I want that cherry too.”
I shivered at his words.
“Now, let's see about that shirt.”
He pulled it over my head, taking my bra with it, but instead of tossing it onto the floor, he kept it at my wrists, wrapping it around them until I was effectively trapped.
“That's better.”
I twisted around to glare at him, but when he brought his hand down on my ass, I stopped. Without thinking, I found myself arching up to meet the next slap, moaning as the prickles of pain dissipated across my heated skin.
He groaned. “Baby, do you have any idea how fucking hot you look right now?”
Another slap, then his hand was sliding between my legs, fingers probing.
“You're wet,” he said. “Is that from coming on my mouth or from getting that pretty ass spanked?”
He smacked my ass again.
“Both,” I gasped out the answer as he did it again.
My eyes closed, every fiber of my being focused on the feel of his hand coming down, on his hard thighs underneath my stomach, on the tip of his cock spreading liquid across my skin.
I cried out as he roughly shoved two fingers inside me, then squirmed as he twisted his hand. Three strokes, and his fingers were g
one. Not for more than a few seconds though, because I felt one back at my anus, pressing against it until the muscle gave and this finger sank in, knuckle deep. I groaned.
“I'm going to make love to you.”
I shuddered, pushing back against his hand. “Yes, please.”
“But it's not going to be gentle,” he continued, his finger going deeper into my ass. “I'm going to claim you, Bryne. Make you mine. Ruin you so you'll never want anyone inside you but me.”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. I wanted all of those things. Gentle might be nice sometimes, but I didn't want it now. I needed to feel him more than I felt my own body. But I didn't need him to do anything to make me only want him. He'd already ruined me for other men. I couldn't even imagine having someone else in my bed, and I didn't want to.
Rather than telling me where he wanted me, he simply moved me as he climbed onto the bed. He went on his knees and put my legs on either side of his waist. My bound hands went around his neck, and he gripped my hips tightly as he positioned me above his cock. His eyes locked with mine as he pulled me down.
Hard.
My back arched, mouth opened, and for a moment, everything froze. My hands spasmed, muscles quivered, and my body struggled to adjust to the sudden invasion.
“Are you okay?” His voice was quiet, concerned, and it cut through the haze surrounding my mind.
I nodded mutely, and he took that as a good enough answer.
He was in complete control, the muscles in his arms flexing and bunching as he lifted and lowered me, his hips rising to meet each downward movement with a thrust that drove him as deep as he could go. His mouth found my breasts and went back and forth between each one, teeth nipping, lips sucking, until my nipples were swollen and aching. I couldn't keep my eyes open, couldn't find the strength to do anything but let him take me. If my hands hadn't been held together, I would've fallen backwards.
I should've been scared, giving over so much control, but I wasn't. The moment he'd used the words making love, I'd known that no matter how rough he was, or how kinky things got, that would always be part of what we were doing. Even when we fucked, there'd still be that element.
He loved me.
And I loved him.
As I tipped over the edge again, I told him. “I love you. Love you.” I chanted the words over and over as pleasure rolled over and through me. “Love you. Love you.”
And then his mouth covered mine, and his body tensed, his cock pulsing as he emptied himself inside me, filling me. It was more than a physical act, the inevitable conclusion to a physical act. It meant something to us both. I didn't need him to say it when I could feel it, see it. We belonged together in a way that we'd never belonged with anyone else.
As he lowered me down to the bed, I held him to me, wanting our connection to last just a little bit longer.
“Shh,” he murmured against my mouth. “I'm not leaving you. Not again. I love you.”
“I meant it,” I said as I brushed his hair back from his face. “I love you too.”
His entire face lit up as he lowered his head to brush his lips across mine. “Then that's all that matters. We'll figure the rest of it out. Together.”
I liked the sound of that, I thought as I relaxed and let sleep take me. I knew he'd be there when I woke this time.
Chapter Thirteen
Bryne
Dax was there when I woke up an hour or so later. I knew because he woke me up by licking me into an amazing orgasm before taking me again, nice and slow. The second time he woke me up, he was sliding into me from behind, his fingers tugging on my still-sensitive nipples until I came again. Twice.
Afterwards, I snuggled in closer to Dax, smiling as he wrapped his arms more tightly around me. He kissed the top of my head.
“You know, I could get used to this,” he said quietly.
“Not arguing?” I teased.
He chuckled, the sound a rumble against my back. “That too.” He smoothed down my hair. “But I meant this. The whole after sex stuff. Laying here with you.” His fingers started to trace patterns on my stomach. “I've never had that before.”
“I like it too.”
He let out a sigh and I half-turned so I could see his face.
“Is something wrong?”
“I'm just kicking myself,” he said, tucking a stray curl behind my ear.
“For what?”
“If I hadn't been such an asshat, we could've been doing this since moment one.” He smiled at me, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.
I shook my head. “Not from moment one. We both said we weren't looking for relationships when we first met.”
“I wasn't,” he admitted. “But I think I've always been looking for you.”
Well, damn. That was one hell of a line.
Except, looking into Dax's eyes, I knew it wasn't a line. He meant it.
I cupped the side of his face, shivering as his stubble scratched against my palm. “I'm glad you stayed tonight.”
“I'll stay every night that you'll have me.”
“Careful,” I said. “You might be biting off more than you can chew.”
He grinned, eyes gleaming. “I can think of a couple things I'd like to bite.” He kissed the tip of my nose, his expression sobering. “Seriously, though, Bryne. I'm done running. No more back and forth. I know what I want, and I'm not going to walk away again.”
I wanted to believe him, but I knew I wouldn't, not completely, until he proved he wouldn’t lie to me anymore. I didn't plan on arguing with him though. Not when I had him all naked and fuckable right here.
I ran my hand down his chest, pausing to tease his piercing with my fingers before leaning forward to do the same with my tongue.
“Fuck, Bryne,” Dax moaned.
He dug his fingers into my hair as I used my mouth on his nipple. His cock stirred against my thigh, and I scraped my nails across those rock-hard abs of his.
Just as I was about to follow my nails with my mouth, Dax's phone rang from somewhere on the floor.
“Dammit.” He looked down at me. “I can ignore it.”
I shook my head. “It might be your mom. Did you tell her you weren't coming home tonight?”
He looked sheepish, which was oddly endearing considering his edgy appearance...and the fact that he was naked. He rolled out of bed, giving me a great look at his ass.
Nice.
“Hello?”
Almost immediately, he tensed, his expression changing as the other person talked. When he moved toward the door, I started to sit up, bracing myself for the disappointment that would come when he left.
But he didn't. He paced as he listened, but he didn't leave the room.
Still, I couldn't feel too much relief. Whatever he was hearing wasn't good. And considering what he told me before, that could mean some serious trouble.
I pulled the sheet around me and waited to see what would happen next.
After nearly a full minute, he snapped, “Got it.” He threw his phone down a moment later. “Fuck!”
I flinched even though he hadn't shouted. Fury radiated off of him, and even though I knew he wasn't angry at me, it made me want to step back. When he turned toward me, his expression changed. It didn't soften, but there was something new there, something beneath the anger.
“What's wrong?”
He hesitated, then ran his hand through his hair. “I promised I wouldn't hide anything from you, but I wish I could. I wish I could fix this, and you'd never have to know.”
“Dax, you're scaring me.”
He crossed to the bed and sat down next to me. My stomach twisted. Who the hell had been on the phone?
“That was Booker.”
The guy who owned the shop and wanted to be a drug dealer. I grabbed for Dax's hand. Was he coming after Dax? After me, like he threatened to do before?
“Bryne, babe, he has your mom.”
Continues in Collide Vol. 5. Turn the page to keep reading.
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Collide Vol. 5
Chapter One
Dax
I'd never wanted to say anything less than I wanted to say those six words, but I knew my choices were limited. I made a promise to the woman I loved that I would no longer lie or hide things from her, so I had to tell her what I just learned, or she'd never forgive me. And that wasn't an exaggeration. She told me that lying was the one thing she wouldn't tolerate.
“Bryne, babe, he has your mom.”
For a moment, I wondered if she even heard me, but then all of the color drained from her face, and I knew she had.
“What?”
The word was small, almost child-like, and in that moment, I hated Booker more than I'd ever hated him or anyone. And I hated myself for bringing Booker into Bryne's life.
I reached over and took her hands in mine. They were cold, and I lightly rubbed them as I recounted the phone call that'd ended only a few moments before.
“You know how I told you that Booker's cousin was there when I got shot?”
She nodded.
“Well, I don't remember a lot of the shit Julius said right before it happened, but it basically boiled down to him thinking that I'd stolen from him. I didn't know why he thought it, or who was involved. Shit, I still don't, but something went down. Booker didn't give me a hell of a lot to go on, but basically, someone stole coke from Julius and his supplier, and he's accusing Booker.”
Bryne started shaking, and I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her onto my lap as I wrapped the covers around her more securely. I hated this.
“Because I told Georgie and the guys that I was out, Booker believes that I went behind his back and stole the drugs. Now, he's demanding I trade him the coke for your mom.”
“But you didn't take it.” Bryne tucked her head under my chin.
“He thinks I did.” I mentally called Booker every unprintable name under the sun. I'd suspected he might've been responsible for me getting shot. I'd expected him to threaten my mom, maybe even threaten Bryne again once he heard I'd quit. I never imagined he'd go after Bryne's mother. He was supposed to be smarter than Georgie, not go off and do half-cocked shit.