Ruthless Bastard (Dangerous Love 3)

He turned back to the door and locked it. “You have to understand something,” he said, facing her again. Uncontrollable heat slammed into him in her presence. He did well to stay away from anything that made him feel too much, but she’d crossed that line last night, and he couldn’t uncross it. “I get edgy.”

Her chest rose and fell quickly with heavy breaths as she stood from her chair. “Okay,” she said slowly.

He took a step toward her. “I usually manage that restlessness by sparring with Theo.” Then another step, needing to get closer, to breathe the same air she did. “That’s not how I want to manage it anymore. At least, not all the time, and certainly not today.”

She visibly swallowed, her cheeks flushing. “Okay,” she repeated.

He stopped, his boots right in line with her feet. The heat poured off her, and he wanted to absorb it. Every little bit until he only made them burn hotter. He slowly raised his hand and stroked her cheek, finally threading his fingers into her hair. “Because I’ve realized there is something more potent than my restlessness.”

“What’s that?” she whispered, her lips parting, ready for his kiss.

He dropped his mouth close to hers. “How fucking much I want you.” He slid a hand across her lower back and yanked her closer. “The way you feel.” He dropped his head into her neck and slid his nose up her warm skin, feeling a hard shudder run through her. “How it draws me in.” He nipped at her flesh and she pressed herself closer, running her hands up his biceps. He leaned away, tucking his thumbs to angle her chin up. “And the way you taste…it’s so fucking good. All day you’ve been in my head. I want you. Right now.”

“Too much talking. Not enough kissing,” she said huskily.

He didn’t need to hear more. He sealed his mouth across hers, maneuvering her until her back bumped against the wall. Rough, hot, quick, he needed her now. She held on to his shoulders as he opened his jeans, exposing his hardened length. Her leggings were soon down, one still halfway up her leg, the other all the way off. He didn’t hesitate, and by the looks of her hooded eyes, he knew she didn’t want him to. He grabbed her ass cheek with one hand, his cock with the other, and entered her. Slowly, relishing how she squeezed him, he pushed inside her, feeling the drag of her hot flesh against him, until he was seated in deep.

She moaned his name, and he pulled back once, letting her adjust to him. Christ, she was ready. Wet and silky and warm, and everything he needed. He worked her in slow strokes, feeling her completely, as her body tightened around him like she didn’t want to let him go.

His heart thundered in his ears, the adrenaline pumping through his veins, calling for him to unleash himself, the edginess controlling him. He needed that gone. Urgency took over, shifting him from a pursuit of her pleasure, to only a raw need taking over. He hooked her leg onto his arm. Pinning her between his body and the wall, he stared right into her gorgeous sparkling eyes as he pumped his hips. Hard. And fast, careful not to go too deep. Over and over again, until he breathed harshly, sweat trailing down the side of his face. Her eyes went wide with the pleasure until they clamped shut. Her chin angled up and her breath cut off, the moan she nearly gave only coming out in a puff of air. He nearly went cross-eyed with the pleasure, and he grew harder with every thrust as skin slapped against skin. His breathing was rough, and there was nothing sweet about how he touched her. This was something primal, something that came from deep in his chest, a part that needed her to be the reason he felt better. And as her mouth fell open in a perfect O, and her moan finally spilled from her mouth, she began clenching him like a vise. He growled, thrusting harder, his muscles burning in delight at being fueled.

And two thrusts later, she broke apart around him, and he followed her in a hot rush and a hard shudder, releasing something deeply haunted in his soul.

* * *

The day had come and gone, and still Kinsley rode the high that Rhett had sent her on earlier. She’d always wondered what it would be like to be on the receiving end of Rhett’s affection. Now she had that answer and she liked it. Scratch that, she wanted all of it…all the time. Sure, Rhett wasn’t one for long romantic walks by the beach. She doubted he’d ever say, “I love you,” but he brought passion and intensity, and those were certainly things she’d never had in her life before.

What she didn’t like was her current situation. “This is depressing as shit,” she said to their inner circle, minus Rhett, while she sat at one of the tall tables at Merlots. The classy nightclub was on the other side of Main Street, the only other bar in town. Luckily, they had different crowds, so the competition between the two had never been a big deal. Which was good, since Kinsley really liked the owner, Bernie.

Boone snorted, sitting across from her, a beer set in front of him. “You only hate this because you’re our designated driver tonight.”

“No, I hate this because the only time I should be at a bar sober is when I’m working,” she countered, then glared at her glass of water before taking a sip. “You all never wanted to come here whenever I’ve asked you before, and now you do it when I’m pregnant so I can’t drink my face off and dance like an idiot.” Eighties music filled the space, and Kinsley craved to be right there with the gyrating crowd, only she needed a couple of glasses of wines to bring out her spectacular moves.

Boone arched a brow. “You can still dance like an idiot. I’ve seen you. You’re good at it.”

She gave him a rude gesture, which had him laughing.

Peyton nudged his shoulder with hers. “Stop bugging her.” She gave Kinsley a sweet smile. “We thought you could use a night out, away from the bar. And sadly, this town lacks anywhere else to go. Unless you’re up for some midnight bingo?”

Kinsley barked out a laugh. “Please, God, never let me go there.” She returned a soft smile back at her ever-so-sweet sister-in-law. “And you’re right. I could use a night out. Thank you.” Even though she could tell that what Peyton had said was only a half truth. They all wanted to drink and dance, but they were trying not to make Kinsley feel bad about it.

From her spot next to Kinsley, Remy asked Boone, “How’s the case going anyway? You guys getting anywhere?”

Boone’s mouth flattened into a thin line. “It’s slow going.”

“You’ll find them,” Peyton encouraged him, sliding her arm through his. “You guys always do.”

Boone’s eyes darkened when he looked at Kinsley. She’d seen it before, and she knew why Rhett had been so wound up earlier. The case was stalling. Even Dad looked frustrated when he stopped by the bar a couple of hours after Rhett had arrived and made her day immensely better.

A thought that had lingered on her mind all day suddenly sprang up again. “What if it’s nothing,” she said, swirling the straw in her glass.

On the other side of Boone, Asher’s brows shot up. “Care to explain how it could be nothing when they demolished your place?”

Kinsley considered the same thought that kept repeating in her mind then she shrugged. “Nothing has happened since that night. Maybe it really was the Red Dragons, and they were pissed that Rhett got all hard ass with them. They made their point of payback, and now they’re done.”

Neither Boone nor Asher looked convinced.

Boone finally said, “It’s something to consider, but I’d bet my money that something more is going on there.”