Mallicks: Back to the Beginning (Mallick Brothers 5)

Sure, he would be a cop by then.

He wasn't one of my people, someone who made good on threats with bloodshed and violence.

But he could make me suffer.

Throw me in a cage for one of my many crimes.

Which, in my humble opinion, was far worse.

Give me an ass-kicking over a cage any damn day.

"Got it," I agreed, nodding.

"Take care of her," he added as he walked away, not waiting for my response.

Something deep within me did, though.

Answer.

Something inside screamed that I would do it.

Take care of her.

No matter what it took.

But as I watched her head turn, spotting me leaning against my car, and giving me one of those uncertain, but hopeful smiles of hers, yeah, I was starting to wonder if it was going to be as easy to let go as I had originally thought.

But as she locked up with her friend, and moved outside, I decided that that was something to worry about some other time.

"Hi," she said, hauling her purse up on her shoulder.

"Hey. You ready?"

"That's the thing," she said, tone hesitant.

"What thing?"

"Nothing is open. Where are we going?"

"Figure we could go to the beach for a bit."

She shifted from foot to foot, glancing over her shoulder at her car.

"Want to take yours?" I asked, figuring she was a bit hesitant to be alone on the beach with a guy she didn't know that well. "That way you can head straight home after," I added.

"I think that is the best plan," she agreed. "I'll follow you."

And she did.

Down the highway, into a lot with no other cars, and down the long path toward the water, kicking out of her shoes and socks, and kicking up the water as we walked.

"What are you doing?" she asked, turning back when I paused, reaching to lift my shirt.

"Going in."

"It's freezing."

"Didn't say you'd have to join me," I told her, smiling at the way her eyes raked over my chest and stomach as I tossed the shirt, at the way her cheeks went pink when my hands went for my belt, then lowered my jeans to the sand as well, leaving me just in my boxers as I turned to jump in. "But what fun is it just to stand there?" I added as a challenge, flicking water toward her.

She paused for a long moment, long enough that I figured I was just going to effectively handle my case of blue balls in the frigid water alone for a moment before her hand dropped her purse, then went to pull her shirt out of her skirt, working the buttons with the smallest of trembles.

I couldn't get a handle on the shyness, the insecurity. If it was from growing up the way she had, or an inexperience with men, but found it charming nonetheless as she pulled the shirt open to reveal the smooth line of her stomach and a plain nude-colored bra, making it impossible, even in the cold water, to keep my cock from getting hard.

"Fuck," I hissed under my breath as her hands went to the skirt, lowering it down over her hips to reveal a simple pair of panties that matched her bra, and long, fucking perfect legs.

Gorgeous.

Every goddamn inch of her, flawless.

She took a deep breath, making her breasts tease over the tops of the cups for a second before, in a move that was so fast that she blurred, flew forward, and dove under the water.

She came up a foot from me, eyes huge, mouth opened in a giant O. "Fuck!" she hissed, reaching out, and slamming her wet hand into my shoulder. "You didn't even wince!" she added like an accusation.

"Gotta toughen up," I told her, reaching upward, watching as her body stiffened while my hands went behind her. Her brows knitted as my hands went behind her head, snagging her ponytail with one hand to hold it still, then carefully undoing it with the other until the wet strands fell to cover her shoulders, toy with the tops of her breasts.

"Like it down," I informed her absentmindedly slipping the tie onto my wrist for safekeeping.

"You only get to see me in my hideous work uniforms," she said with a grimace.

"Beautiful even in pink and green stripes," I informed her, watching as her eyes went soft.

"Liar," she accused, eyes small.

"Don't believe me?"

"No one looks good in pink and green stripes or mustard yellow," she informed me, brow lifted, daring me to challenge her.

I did.

But not in the way she expected.

My hand moved behind her, snagging her around the lower back, and dragging her to my chest, breasts flattening to the firm lines of my muscles, lower belly meeting the proof of my desire.

Her breath sucked in, lips falling open like a goddamned invitation that I wanted so badly to accept.

"Still doubt me?" I asked, hearing the husky edge to my words when her body melted closer.