Retribution (The Protectors 3)

“Harder,” Tate ordered suddenly, his voice harsh in the quiet room. I pounded into him and kept angling my hips until I saw his mouth open wide on an empty scream. His free hand came up to wrap around my arm that was still pressed against his shoulder and he began calling my name every time I hit his gland. A few more strokes and he shouted in relief as his orgasm slammed into him. I managed to stave off my own release so I could watch him come and it was only when his fingers loosened on my arm just a little bit that I let go myself. I dropped my lips to Tate’s neck and let out a muffled curse as my climax rocked through me. The brutal orgasm was so intense that my vision actually dimmed and I was sure my heart was going to pound right out of my chest. Tate moaned as my hot cum filled him and the feel of it bathing my own dick as I continued to saw in and out of him instantly triggered a powerful aftershock. The pleasure seemed endless and I couldn’t have even begun to guess how long it went on for. It wasn’t until I felt fingers threading through my hair that I even started to become aware of my surroundings.

Tate’s warm body continued to cradle mine and he was pressing soft kisses against my temple as he held me to him. I didn’t have enough strength to even lift my head to seek out his mouth, but I did manage to roll us enough so that Tate was lying on top of me. We’d managed to stay connected during the change in position and I groaned when Tate twisted his hips and then lifted just a little bit before sliding back down on me. I lifted my hands to close over his ass to help him bring us both gently down and opened my mouth when he sought entry.

“You okay?” Tate asked after several minutes passed and his body finally stilled on top of mine.

I nodded. “You?”

Tate smiled against my mouth. “That was…” He shook his head, unable to continue.

“I know,” I said with a laugh. I had enough strength to get us both to a sitting position and the move finally forced my softening cock from his body. Tate wrapped his legs around me and pressed gentle kisses against my neck and collar bone, before finally resting his chin on my shoulder.

“I wish we could stay like this forever,” he whispered.

Me too.

But I didn’t say that. Because I couldn’t.

Even if it was the truth.

Chapter Twenty

Tate

“Will you tell me about her?”

Hawke stiffened beneath me and his fingers stopped playing with mine. After our encounter on the floor, we’d showered together, gently washing each other’s exhausted bodies. There’d been no more sexual activity, but that hadn’t meant there’d been any less emotion. Afterwards, we’d dried each other off and crawled into bed. I’d automatically scooted over to the far side of the bed, closer to the wall, but within seconds of Hawke settling under the covers, he’d wrapped his arm around my waist and dragged me against him. I’d ended up resting my head on his chest and had started rubbing my fingers over his where they were pressed against his chest. He’d lifted our joined hands so we could watch our fingers play with each other, and that was when I’d focused on his wedding band.

I expected Hawke to say no and drop his hand, but instead, he began linking and unlinking our fingers. “What do you want to know?”

“What was she like?”

“Stubborn,” Hawke finally said. “She never gave up on anything. But she was also really soft-hearted. That made it hard for her sometimes.”

“How so?”

“It was like she took other people’s pain into herself. She suffered along with them. She was also really outgoing and funny and she always latched on to people who she sensed needed just a little bit of extra attention. And she never stopped giving to other people…time, money, whatever it was they needed. But boy did she have a temper on her and if you threatened to hurt someone she loved…” Hawke said with a light chuckle.

I released Hawke’s hand and turned over so I could face him. The hand that had been playing with mine immediately settled in my hair. I let my own fingers roam over his tattoo. “How did you know she was the one?”

Hawke shook his head slightly. “I’m not sure…it was just always there. I mean, when we were kids, we were best friends, but as we got older, I never had any interest in anyone else and neither did she.”

“So you were never attracted to another woman?”

“I noticed them, but that was as far as it went. No one even came close to making me feel the way she did.”