Forced: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance (The Blackthorn Brothers Book 1) (8 page)

But there was more to it than just the undeniable attraction between us. We were two people dealing with the sort of life we wouldn’t even be able to discuss honestly with another person, let alone have them understand the type of life we lived. Yet I’d known her circumstances, and she’d known mine. We didn’t need to explain the nuances of our fucked-up lives, and that meant we’d had each other to lean on when few people would ever be able to relate.

“I’m not saying you won’t do right by me—because
you did
when we were together. You were far more patient with me than you should have been. But in the end, you were miserable, and there was never any hope for me.” Her last words were spoken through teeth clenched with a lifetime of hurt I didn’t quite understand—nor did I understand her choice of words.

“Why was there never any hope of you being happy, Wren?” I just didn’t get it—and it felt like I was missing some large piece of the puzzle. “You know…you can talk to me. I want to be here for you.” Especially if we were going to get married.

“If you want to be here for me, then let me go. Let me live my fucked-up life. Believe me…you want no part of this—and I sure as hell don’t want you.”

I had a lifetime of nightmares and mistakes that kept wanting to bubble up to the surface. And poor Ash…thinking he could come in like some knight in shining armor to make everything better, when the truth was, no one could fix me. No one could undo the damage I’d endured. All I could do was push him away and try to spare him from getting sucked back into my messed-up life. And what I needed to do is get the hell away from him—even if I had to bide my time.

“Cuff me if you don’t trust me, but it’s late and I’m exhausted.” Laying down next to him, I was doing my best to keep some distance between us, even though the queen-size bed felt five sizes too small when his long, muscular body and broad shoulders were taking up far too much space—and then his arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me to him, his skin warm and well-inked, and his muscles hard. Grabbing his hand, I pushed it off me. “Hands to yourself, Ash. Do you hear me? This is not going to be a repeat of last night.”

His arm wrapped around my waist like a vise and pulled me tightly to him, so there was little chance of escaping—and even less chance of ignoring his erection. “I hear you just fine, though that doesn’t mean I’m going to let you go. Not when I want to get some sleep, and I don’t trust you not to make a run for it again. Now go to sleep—unless you want to find a different way to spend the night.”

“Not if you were the last man on Earth, Ash.” I swear, I was ready to scream in frustration, every muscle in my body knotted with tension, knowing that I’d be stuck here until morning.

“Really? That’s harsh, little bird—even if you’ve already proved that it’s nothing but a lie.” He leaned into me, his words tickling my ear as his hold on me tightened and I felt his hard cock press against my ass. “I know you want me, love… You’re just too scared to say the words, though you don’t need to when your body betrays you every chance it gets.”

“I’m not scared, you jerkwad—and even if I’ve been too stupid to stay away from you, at least I’m not delusional enough to think that sex will actually solve any of my problems.” If anything, it’d be the exact opposite, and the last thing I needed was to compound the mistakes I’d already made by complicating my already fucked-up life—and marrying him would do just that. Ash would be far better off getting the hell away from me while he still could.

“It doesn’t have to solve any problems to still rock your world.” With his cock riding between my ass cheeks, he nipped at my ear, my body automatically responding by pushing back against his erection, the feel of his strong body against mine all too familiar. Trailing kisses down the length of my neck, he bit the tender spot where my pulse raced just under the surface, a cry escaping my lips as I felt myself go wet, my clit heavy and aching with my building need. “You may be fighting this, sweetness, but you know you want me…and your body wants all the pleasure it knows I can give it.”

I’d be lying if I denied any of it—and yet it didn’t mean this was a good idea. Last night was a mistake. And if I crossed that line with him again, it’d be one hell of a slippery slope. But there were so many more reasons why I needed to keep him away, because an older, wiser Ash would eventually start piecing together the clues that he’d missed when he was younger.

I sat up out of his arms—surprised that he let me go—and turned to face him, hoping I could make him see sense. “Just answer me this… Would you be here if my father wasn’t blackmailing you and your family wasn’t in danger?”

He knotted his fingers with mine, which felt like such a gentle gesture from a man like Ash—towering in height, lean and muscular, keen intelligence, and no doubt deadly if he needed to be. “Knowing how much you hate me? No, little bird…I wouldn’t have come back for you. But that’s not because I don’t care or because I don’t love you. I just wouldn’t want to upset you again.”

I was tempted to tell him that I didn’t hate him, and yet it had taken me years to move past the hurt and anger he’d caused and the train wreck that followed. The truth was, I still wasn’t over it, nor would I ever fully recover from losing him, even if Ash didn’t know the half of it. And yet…he was the only man I’d ever loved. The only man who’d tried to do right by me, even if I’d made it so hard for him to stay that he’d eventually walked away.

I didn’t know what to say, the words all sticking in my throat as my eyes shimmered with tears as years of pent-up heartache tried to break through to the surface. But in the end, I didn’t need to say a word. Ash gently gathered me up in his strong arms and cradled me to him, murmuring words of comfort, as I wept in his arms for all my hurts until sleep finally took us, our bodies entangled as one.

I awoke, unsure what time it was, though I suspected it was probably around four in the morning. The sun had yet to come up and peek from around the curtains, and though Ash’s arm was still wrapped around my waist, he was sound asleep, his breathing slow and heavy. I stayed there, not moving, and just listened to his breathing, trying to determine just how deeply he was sleeping and whether or not he’d wake up if I tried to slip free of his hold, even if there was a part of me that was loathe to leave the familiar comfort of his arms.

I knew it was stupid to try to make a run for it again, and yet, it was now or never. This was my last chance, since we’d be in Seattle before long. And once I saw my father, I knew my dad would find a way to make me bend to his will, whether by guilt or threats.

Moving as slowly as possible, I started to slip away from him, just an inch at a time, pausing in between to give him a chance to settle back into sleep, in case he’d started to wake.
Just a little more…
And then his arm tightened around me—and he was awake, flicking the light on with his free hand.

Fuck.

“Please tell me you weren’t just trying to escape again.” His voice was thick with sleep, and though I couldn’t really see him, I could tell he was fully alert, his body tense.

My heart raced as he rolled me onto my back, pinning me under his weight as he nestled himself between my legs, making it impossible to ignore his muscular body and his hard cock as it rocked against my clit, the thin fabric of my boxers offering little in the way of protection. I struggled to get away from him, trying to buck him off as he grasped my wrists and pinned them over my head, but he was nearly twice my weight and all muscle—and fuck…being at his mercy had my body immediately reacting to him, just as it always had.

“You’re insane. Get off me, Ash.” And yet, even I could hear how breathless and wanton I sounded, and I knew by the way he was looking at me that he could see just how badly I wanted him, even as I was overcome with a wave of guilt and shame for being so twisted, and getting off on him taking me in the middle of a struggle as I tried to get away. I just couldn’t help that my body’s reaction to being handled roughly, to being forced, was immediate, even if I knew how wrong it was.

“That’s not going to happen.” His voice was deep and ragged with need, his hips grinding his erection against me, even as I fought against him. I tried to pull free of his grip, hoping he’d tighten his hold, and bucked against his hard body, not to free myself but rather hoping that he’d just fuck me. That he’d take me even as I fought him off, because in some twisted way, it would give me what I wanted without me having to admit it. And yet he knew me so well…knew exactly what I wanted, even if he didn’t understand why I was so fucked up. “Not that you really want me to let you go. Do you, Wren?”

I struggled against him as I leaned forward and caught his mouth in a greedy kiss, our tongues clashing as he shifted both my wrists to one hand and pinched my nipple with the other, making me gasp.

It was like my body was trying to make up for the last eight years of being apart, last night’s adventures only acting as a reminder of how amazing it was to be on the receiving end of Ash’s affections. Even when I’d been with other men—or women—Ash was still the only one I’d been able to think of, no matter who I’d been with. Ash had always known what I needed, and he’d never made me feel uneasy about the things that turned me on, though I had more than enough guilt and shame on my own.

But then Ash pulled away from our kiss, though he’d yet to let me go. “Tell me this is what you want, Wren. Tell me you want me to fuck you.”

“You know exactly what I want.”

Fucking hell…
I knew exactly what she had in mind, and the truth was I didn’t think I’d be capable of holding back much longer. From the moment I set eyes on her back at her place, the years apart evaporated in a heartbeat, leaving me with an insatiable hunger so I could think of nothing but fucking her over and over and over again.

I let go of her, but only to strip her naked, roughly pulling her clothes from her body, my cock aching at the sight of her. She was so fucking gorgeous—but first, there was a score to settle. Grabbing her hips, I flipped her onto her stomach, landing her on all fours as my hand connected with her ass cheek as I slapped her ass hard enough to have her crying out. “That’s for thinking about trying to run away—yet again.”

“Just so you know, I fucking hate—” The next slap stole her words, falling harder than the first, and though she may be cursing me to hell, I knew she was enjoying every minute of it, the sharp sting of pain melting into an overwhelming pleasure as her sweet cunt went wet for me and she finally finished her sentence.
“You.”

I ran my hand over her hot skin to soothe it, letting my fingers dip into her slick heat, loving how she moaned and pushed back against my hand. I pulled free of her body and slapped her ass again and again, my cock so hard it throbbed, desperate to sink into her. Her backside was mottled red with my handprints, and when I ran my tongue over the markings and blew on them to help ease the sting, I swore, Wren nearly came.

Grasping her hips, I plunged into her, burying myself in her tight cunt with one thrust, her gasp only urging me on. I wrapped her thick, long hair around my fist and pulled her head back so I could feast on her neck, nipping my way to her shoulder as I pounded into her, pulling back, long and slow between thrusts. “You’re mine, Wren. But you’ve always been mine…haven’t you?”

She cursed in frustration, but gave me the answer I was wanting, the words seemingly wrenched from her.
“Always
.
”

I loved hearing her say it, especially when we were supposed to be getting married, though we were clearly a long way off from smooth sailing. Not that I could think of anything but fucking her at this moment. The energy of my orgasm was building, racing through me as I tried to rein it in, wanting to prolong the moment. And yet I knew that she was close to coming, too, as she tried to quicken our pace, her needy cries escaping her lush lips with each thrust. “Don’t you dare, love. You don’t get to come until I give you permission. Am I making myself clear?”

She looked over her shoulder at me with a defiant glare. “And what are you going to do about it if I come, huh?”

“So cheeky.” I pulled free of her body, ignoring her protests as I lay back on the pillows, the absence of her body from around my cock sorely missed. But then I was pulling her to me, grabbing her hips as I brought her down onto my hard length, impaling her until I was fully buried in her slick heat while she straddled me. “That’s better…now I can see when you come. ’Cause I have to tell you, Wren…there’s no sight nicer than watching the pleasure on your face as you come with my name on your lips.”

“You’re such a pain in the ass, Ash.” But she still caught my mouth in one kiss after another as she rode me, swallowing my moans. And fuck, but it felt good to have her back.

I sat up and pulled her nipple into my mouth, holding it between my teeth and flicking it with my tongue before sucking on it hard as I pinched the other, all while she rocked her hips up and down my length, knotting her fingers in my hair. And this time, there was no holding back for either of us, as our mouths found each other once more, clashing in hungry kisses that swallowed our needy moans. My orgasm was barreling down on me, and I could barely hold it back. “Come for me, little bird.”

That was all it took to have her crying out my name as her body tensed and quivered in my arms, and I let loose my own orgasm, my cock pulsing deep inside her as I rode each wave of pleasure, my head spinning as I covered her face in kisses, my breathing heavy. “Fucking hell, Wren…”

Her gaze was fierce and determined, even as she pressed her lips to mine for a kiss. “I’m still not marrying you—no matter how many times you make me come. Just thought I’d mention that, just in case you were wondering.”

“Why do you always have to make things difficult? Can’t you just come home to Seattle and see your father? Just hear him out—or better yet, convince him to tell me who’s behind the threats and attacks to my family so I can keep them safe, without having to get married first.” Not that Turner would agree to let me off the hook. He was dying, and he wanted to know Wren would be safe and well-taken care of. It wasn’t as though I could really blame him, even if he was being a pain in the ass.

And then there was the little matter of getting revenge for my father’s murder. Because whoever the fuck was after my family was going to pay.

“You know what he’s like, Ash. He’ll never agree to help you without getting something in return. I love my dad, but he’s a selfish, manipulative bastard, even if he only wants what’s best for me.” She slipped up off my cock, and lay down by my side. At least she wasn’t trying to run, as if she was finally coming around to the idea that we were stuck with each other for the foreseeable future. “I don’t suppose you’ll let me go, will you?”

“When we can have so much fun? Not a chance in hell, sweetheart.” I pulled her close, loving how familiar it felt to have her in my arms again. “Now…are you going to stay put or do I need to get the handcuffs out?”

“I’d rather skip the handcuffs for now, thank you very much. And just so we’re clear, just because I’m not pulling a runner or screaming bloody murder until the cops show up, does
not
mean I’m happy about you kidnapping me—nor am I happy about how you’ve played to my weaknesses to try to manipulate me into doing what you want. Because this is totally fucked up, Ash. You know that, right?” Her eyes had darkened with such a weary despair, it had me worried about her, my hold on her tightening.

“Yeah…I know—but it doesn’t change our reality.” I hated to admit it, but there was something more that had me worrying about her, though I wasn’t quite sure what was going on.

I’d known that seeing me again wouldn’t be easy for her, but her tears, her anger, felt far more anguished than I’d have expected. Something just felt off. Though maybe it’d been there all along, and I was just too young and stupid to notice. Because suddenly, she didn’t seem so crazy—just distraught and…broken.

I didn’t quite understand it all. It wasn’t the murder of her stepbrother, since she’d been like this when I met her, though that may have contributed to things getting worse. That meant, if this was all because of some problem she was dealing with, then it had all started
before
my time with her.

“Wren… You’d tell me if something was wrong, right?”