Promises of Mercy(Montana Promises-Book 1) (20 page)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Amber had achieved her first goal—that of pushing Cade way past his limit. He might act like some kind of macho man, but when she had her mouth on his cock, he folded like a collapsible chair.

He tapped her head. “Get on your hands and knees for me.” His stern command held a tender undertone.

She loved teasing him, but she honestly hadn’t thought she’d be able to get him so riled up that he had to make love with her this fast. She hoped this didn’t cut short foreplay. She wanted to be brought to the edge of her climax many times before finally giving in.

“You do understand the mechanics of a ménage, right, Amber?”

Her mind raced to her butt and she clenched her cheeks. “Yes.” She’d told him that before. “But I’ve never had a cock back there.”

“I know. That’s why I need to stretch you out first.”

She caught the slight lowering of his tone. It was almost as if he was waiting for her to tell him no. Well, she wouldn’t. She wanted Cade Carter—all of him. Everywhere. She had to feel alive tonight. “Okay.”

While she wasn’t facing him, she bet he had that cute grin on his face. His feet padded across the carpet and metal sounded against glass, like he was unscrewing a lid. As she thought about what it would be like to have something cold and hard in her ass, shivers tripped up her spine. At least when it was Cade’s cock, he’d be warm and pliable.

She liked
something stiff as much as the next woman, but not when it was plastic. “Can’t I skip this step and go straight to the real deal?”

She hadn’t expected him to laugh. “Oh, sugar. You lighten my darkest days. You’re tiny, and my dick is well, big.”

That was true. At least she’d asked. The bed dipped and his hands massaged her shoulders—not the area she thought he’d focus on, but after thirty seconds of his strong hands working her muscles, the tension eased out of her body. “I like that.” She just hoped his massage wouldn’t lull her to sleep.

As if he read her mind, he stopped.
A citrusy scent filled the air. The brush of cold goo on her anus caused her to lean forward.
Yikes
. Reading about plugs, dildos, and anal gels hadn’t really prepared her for this moment.

An arm swept under her belly. “Come back here, you. Relax. I’ll make sure you like it.”

He said that in such a calm way that she thought maybe she’d overreacted. “I was surprised, that’s all.”

When he ran a hand up her belly and captured her breast, she exhaled and closed her eyes. This was where she wanted to be. He continued to play with her
tits, swirling his finger around each areola in a slow seductive manner that made her lower half clench with desire. With his other hand, he ran his thumb around her tight, muscled back hole in an attempt to get her to relax. He hadn’t shown her the plug, but no matter the size, she bet her asshole wasn’t wide enough.

He kept up a steady rhythm, and her body finally gave in. Cade pinched one of her hardened nipples, and her body sprang back to life. She moaned, waiting for the glorious pleasure to follow.

He seemed to take advantage of her distraction and eased his thumb into her ass.
Whoa
. She tightened her muscles again.

“Amber. If you
want my cock in your pussy sometime tonight, you can’t do that.” His voice remained soft, as if he knew this was difficult for her.

“I’m sorry.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. Just try to let go. Trust me.”

She did. More lube scented the air and this time his index finger entered her. When he added a second digit, her breath caught. While the sensation
only slightly pinched, she was more embarrassed than in pain.

Angry at herself for being such a wuss, she did her best to stay loose, and forced her mind to go blank, to enjoy every twirl and dip of his finger. After a while, the ache turned to pleasure, and she wiggled her butt for more.

“You ready, sugar?”

She wished he hadn’t asked and just impaled her. “Yes.”

He pressed the hard, slippery object against her ass and twisted the tip. Her breath caught at the newness of it all. “Push out as I press in,” he instructed.

She did and the plug slid in halfway, causing her ass to burn a little. “Ooh.” When he drove the piece of plastic in farther, he must have hit a few erotic nerves and she moaned. She wasn’t even aware her ass could feel such enjoyment.

“Do you see the potential now?”

“Yes.” Who would have thought?

He rubbed her ass with one hand while he rotated the plug into her asshole. While it made her feel full, she liked the pressure. It turned her on.

“You’re doing great.”

He tapped the end, and a quick bolt of joy darted straight to her pussy. She never expected that. He lifted her up and eased her onto her back. The change in angle created all new areas of stimulation. “Whoa.”

He smiled.
She reached up to run her hands down his chest, and he immediately captured her wrists and drew them over her head.

“Let’s leave the touching to me, shall we? Keep your hands right
there.”

A delicious shiver traced a path from her nipples to her thighs. Why did his commands turn her on so much?
Because Cade was doing the asking
. As he climbed on top of her, he nudged open her thighs. Once again, the change in position sent the butt plug deeper into her ass.
Holy shit
.

He grinned. “I see you understand the workings of that tiny piece of plastic.”

“Tiny?” The man was crazy.

He lowered his body until his massive chest was sealed against her breasts. Then he kissed her, possessing her with his lips. They both opened up and greeted each other. The tip of his cock was at her opening making it hard to concentrate.
He’d put on a condom, but she didn’t remember him donning it.

Their tongues twirled like two ice skaters in a pairs’ competition, sometimes touching, sometimes exploring on their own. They’d each had the peanut based dish for dinner, but he tasted more like Coke—tangy and sweet.

When his thumbs reached between them and rubbed her nipples, her cream dripped. Amber clenched her fists, wanting to run her hands down his back, to feel the ripple of his muscles as his body flexed with each movement, but she wouldn’t disobey him. Not being able to do what she wanted gave her a different kind of thrill. She arched her back to get more pressure, and her butt lit up. The plug sure could travel far.

He broke the kiss and slid lower on her body. Anticipation sent sparks all through her. When his mouth latched onto one nipple, she moaned and spread her legs wider, hoping he’d impale her now. With the plug in her butt and him tormenting her tits, she needed him badly.

Just don’t come too soon
. She wanted to show him she had control. He pulled her nipple taut and her cry escaped. “Oh, yes.”

He alternated between her
tits, nabbing each nipple faster and faster. God, what the man could do to her.

He sniffed
then smiled. “Someone’s excited.”

What did he expect? He was driving her crazy, turning her body to mush. Cade dragged his tongue down her belly, coming closer and closer to her needy opening. She lifted her hips in offering.

“Keep still or that ass plug will put you over the edge before I’ve had a chance to love your pretty little pussy.”

He rubbed his thumb across the top of her pubis then opened her folds with one finger.

Touch me more
.

Cade slid lower on his stomach. His thumbs dug into her thighs
, but he then did nothing more. His lack of attention to her clit and swollen opening ratcheted her desire. She lifted her head.

He was staring right between her legs, his mouth twisting to the side, as if he was trying to decide which part to torment first. He smiled then dipped a finger into her wet opening. The friction, while small, jacked up her hormones. “More. Please.”

He looked up at her. “Are you trying to tell me how to make love to you?” There was a slight steely edge to his tone, but she thought he did that to heighten her arousal. Well, it had worked.

“No.”

“Good. Now relax and let me take you to another time and place.”

She wanted that. Needed it for her soul to heal. The first swipe of his tongue had her reeling. She dug her nails into her palms. She’d never last if he didn’t take her soon. “Please, Cade.”

Her plea must have had an effect on him because he dipped three fingers into her and swirled them around fast. Sparks of need raced up and down her spine, building her climax. If she didn’t get his thick shaft soon she’d lose it.

When he drew her clit between his teeth, she yelled. “Damn you. Give me your cock.”

He laughed—actually laughed. “Sugar, sugar. I’ve only just begun.”

She should let loose and come, but then he’d believe that when the time came for the three of them to be together, she couldn’t handle two cocks—and she could. She squeezed her eyes shut and pictured Stone beside her, playing with her breasts while Cade loved on her pussy.

His tongue circled her clit until the tiny nub swelled. It was too much. “Oh, oh, oh.”

She lifted her hips, loving how the plug in her ass hit new nerves every time she shifted. Then Cade’s heavy body was on top of hers, and his lips found her mouth. His kiss came out hard. Demanding. Needy. She lowered her hands. To hell with not touching him. She threaded her fingers through his hair and planted her feet on the mattress. Cade pressed his cock against her opening and plunged in. Stars burst behind her lids.
Oh. My. God
. There was no room. The plug took up too much space, yet the added size from his dick tripled the pleasure.

He’d unleashed her inner beast, and she scraped her nails down his back. After he drove his cock to the hilt, he kissed her with more passion than she thought possible. As if he knew she’d be overwhelmed, he waited. Pulses radiated in every direction and her pussy cramped with need. It was as if he had his finger in the dam. If he moved even the slightest bit, she’d burst.

“Amber, what you do to me.” His words came out on a breath. The kiss that followed spoke of a future. Of hope.

She held on tight, and together they soared upward. Her juices flowed as she encased his cock, holding him hostage and loving him hard. He dipped his head and murmured s
omething she couldn’t decipher. As he thrust his cock inside her again, he moaned, and they both burst at the same time. Her screams and his wild cry collided. Her climax tore through her, and she lost her sight, her breath, her heart. Cade Carter had done what he’d promised—taken her somewhere she’d never been before.

How long he held her, she couldn’t say, since no thoughts entered her brain other than those of pure delight. Eventually, he withdrew, stepped away from the bed, and returned with a warm cloth.

After he wiped her clean, she reached around to take out the plug. His hand snapped on her wrist. “Leave it in for another hour.”

“Why?”

“Because I said so.”

She mouthed his phrase back to him. He laughed, dropped down next to her and kissed her again. Life with Cade would never be dull.

Chapter Twenty-Four

When Amber roused, the smell of eggs filled the house, causing her stomach to grumble. After eating a big dinner, and then munching on popcorn and cheese after a night of sexual bliss, she was surprised she had any desire to eat ever again.

She cracked open an eye and wondered when Cade had risen.
A shower would have to wait. Breakfast came first.

She was naked and didn’t feel comfortable walking around the house that way
, so she tossed on her tank and flannel bottoms and padded out.

Cade was dressed in his slacks
and had his white shirt untucked. She slipped behind him and dragged her hands up his naked chest. “I thought you didn’t cook.”

He looked over his shoulder and smiled. “I can do simple.”

“Simple is good. What can I do?”

“I couldn’t find the coffee.”

“It’s hidden.” From the cabinet next to the fridge, she pulled out the bag of Starbucks coffee, but pushed back the reason why she’d purchased it.

He removed the eggs from the burner. “Plates?”

“I’ll get them.” Once she set them next to the stove, she brewed the tea and fixed the coffee. The plate of eggs didn’t look very substantial for a man Cade’s size. “If I had known you were coming over, I would have bought some bacon.” And muffins and whatever else a real man ate.

“I’m fine with this.”

While he placed the food on the table, she prepared the beverages. Once they were seated, both scarfed down their food. “You said both you and Stone were free today. What are we doing?”

“He said he was taking charge of the activities, so I don’t know.”

Before she had a chance to discuss possible outings, Cade’s cell rang.

He
grimaced before pulling out his phone and checking the caller ID. “Fuck. Sorry, sugar. It’s work.”

She sank back against her chair. She didn’t get called in often, but when she did, she had to go.

His fingers tightened their grip. “Where? When? I’ll be there.” He set his phone down. “I am so sorry. There’s been an attempt on a patient’s life.”

She grabbed the back of the chair. “Attempt?”
Who was doing this?

“I don’t know much more than that.”

“Do you want me to come?”

“It’s your day off. Stone will be so disappointed if he can’t be with you.”

Would it always be like this? Would she be constantly disappointed because the three of them couldn’t be together? “Do you think Stone will still want to go out with me?”

He pushed back his chair, lifted her out of hers, and cupped her face. “I can guarantee it. Just don’t have too much fun without me.”

“I’ll try.” Despite the horrible situation, a small chuckle escaped.

He bent down and kissed her. Knowing Cade had to leave, she kept the contact light.

“I’ll call you,” he said, as he stepped toward the door.

As soon as he left, the air thinned. Boy, did she have it bad.

*
*

When Cade arrived at the hospital, he rushed up to the fourth floor. His sometime partner, Ethan Harper, met him at the reception desk.

Ethan’s tie was loose and his shirt wrinkled. “Have you been here long?” Cade asked.

“I was here on duty on the fifth floor when I got the call from Hartwick.”

Cade nodded. “What do you know?”

“Edgar Mulholland’s monitor went off, indicating he’d stopped breathing, and his nurse rushed in with a crash cart. She must have gotten there quickly, because she managed to revive him. The man has ALS—that’s Lou Gherig’s disease.”

“I know what it is.” Cade’s gut clenched.

“He’s in the late stages of the disease.”

The thought of anyone suffocating in his own fluids was chilling. “How do we know it was attempted murder?”

“Edgar told his nurse.”

His heart pounded hard for a couple of beats. “Can he identify this person?”

Ethan shook his head. “Said he was asleep when he felt the port wiggle and woke up.”

“What did he see?”

“Edgar said it was still dark in the room, and since his eyesight is terrible, he could only make out the shape of a person. The muscles in his eyes don’t work well.”

“Could he tell if it was a man or a woman?” He knew from experience, someone else could be guilty, too.

“All he recalled was that the person was hunched over him, so he couldn’t tell. When I spoke with him, he wasn’t fully awake. He might remember more details later.”

Cade’s mind whirred. “I wonder why the killer didn’t think about the alarm, or give him enough drugs to prevent resuscitation.”

“I can think of a couple of reasons. One, when the alarm went off, he or she panicked and didn’t give the second drug—assuming it’s the same person.”

Ethan’s assumption was reasonable. “And two?”

“Maybe he couldn’t get enough Ativan without arousing suspicion.”

Something wasn’t right. “How do you know it was Ativan?”

“Found the vial.”

Cade huffed out a breath. “Fuck. That’s the second time a vial has been left. No one is that careless, unless—”

“Unless he wants to get caught?” Now it was Ethan who raised his brows. “Not buying it.”

“I trust you sent the evidence to the lab to see if there are any fingerprints?”

“Sure did, but there weren’t any on the vial for Stephanie Osmond, so I’m not getting my hopes up.”

“
I wouldn’t either, especially since everyone wears gloves around here.”

Dan Hartwick
strode up to them and faced Ethan. “What can you tell me?”

Ethan filled
his boss in on the details. Hartwick squared his shoulders. The man looked more tired than usual. He hadn’t shaved, and if Cade’s memory served him right, the boss wore the same suit yesterday. He had no room to talk though. He was in the same boat.

Hartwick dragged a hand down his jaw. “Seems like the killer is escalating. Cade, do a timeline to see if we can anticipate when he might
strike again.”

Cade’s gut swirled. He hadn’t wanted to believe
the boyfriend of Amber’s best friend could be involved, but he had to tell them her suspicions. “I’ll do that. You should know that one of the nurses, Amber Delacroix, has a theory.”

“What would that be?”

He told Dan and Ethan about her gut feeling. “Everything’s circumstantial, but Ben had the means and possibly the motive.”

“Ethan,” Hartwick said. “Check out his alibi. See if he’s at the hospital now. If not, find him and speak with him.”

“On it, boss.”

Cade tensed. “Don’t mention Amber’s name. I don’t want retribution in case he’s involved.”

“Got it.” Ethan trotted off.

Dan glanced at Cade. “We stationed cops on every floor. How did this happen?”

“The killer’s good, despite appearing quite careless.” His sixth sense told him the dropped vials were for show. While he didn’t know Ben other than when he’d questioned him in the Emma Luther case, from the way Amber spoke of him, he didn’t seem the type to need recognition for his good deed. Then again, Cade was no shrink.

Dan nodded. “Check to see if there’s any security footage for this floor.”

He’d done that for the Luther case. “The hospital only has cameras in public places, like the parking lot and the cafeteria.”

Dan looked up as if he expected to point to one. “I swore I saw some around in other places.”

“Can’t have them in the rooms for privacy issues.” He thought back to what one of the staff members had told him. “There are cameras in the ICUs and other critical care units, as well as some for the rooms housing those mentally unstable, but not on this floor.”

“Shit.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

* *

After arriving home seven hours ago, and managing a few hours of sleep, Stone was still a little groggy. Thank God, he had three days off. He planned to spend them with Amber and Cade. His roommate had been with her more than he had, and that sucked. He bet the two of them were chomping at the bit to get on with the adventure he’d planned.

While Amber might be out of her element, he wanted to see how she adapted to hiking. Next time, he’d introduce her to rock climbing.

To make sure she was agreeable, he called her cell.

“Hey, Stone.”

Her voice wasn’t as cheery as he’d hoped. “What’s wrong?”

“Cade had to go into work.”

Shit
. That wasn’t the end of the world, but the three of them needed to do things together in order to bond. She sure was getting a good view of what things might be like in the future though.

The future
. He liked those two words. It was crazy he’d fallen for Amber so fast, but her spirit, ambition, and open mind had caught his attention. Add in her loving nature, and he’d been hooked. Cade, too, was falling for her, too, which made it almost too good to be true.

“The two of us can still get together if you’re up for it.” He held his breath.

“I’d love that. Cade said you had something planned.”

“I thought we could go hiking. I even put together a little something to eat.” Stone had a backup plan in place in case she wasn’t up for it.

“We’re having a picnic?” He hadn’t expected her to sound so excited.

“Yup. Can you be ready in twenty?”

“Sure can.”

“You have sturdy boots, right?”

“Of course I do. I live in Montana now. Haven’t used them much, though.”

He chuckled to himself. He’d have to take it slow. As soon as he disconnected, Stone grabbed his backpack from the garage. He retrieved the food
he’d bought before he went into work yesterday from the fridge and stuffed everything inside, making sure to grab extra water bottles for Amber. While he was disappointed Cade had to work, he was anxious to spend quality time with her.

His cell rang. Cade. “Hey.”

“Look, I have to cancel.”

He appreciated the heads up. “Amber told me.”

“Did she mention about last night?”

Instead of cheer, Cade’s voice held a lot of tension. Stone leaned against the counter and grabbed the edge. “Did something happen?”

Cade told him about her near breakdown and that she suspected Ben might be the serial killer. “Be careful with her, okay? She’s really fragile.”

Shit
. “I will, but Ben? He’s such a nice guy.”

“So she said.”

Stone blew out a big breath. Ben and Jamie meant the world to her. While Stone hadn’t spent much time with her friend, from the eulogy Ben delivered at Chris’s funeral, he was a caring person—more so than most. Stone actually thought Ben was a bit weak and that Jamie was the one in control. Ben just didn’t seem to be the killer type.

Stone drew a palm down his chin.
“Amber didn’t see him harm anyone, did she?” Amber had been through too much already. Having Ben guilty would destroy her. With no supportive family to speak of, Jamie and Ben had become her life.

“No.
Watching Amber struggle with the conflict was one of the worst times of my life and really tore me up.”

“What do you think? Is he guilty?”

“I don’t know, which is why we need to be careful. Let Amber bring up the topic first, okay?”

He could feel her pain. “I won’t say anything unless she mentions it.”

“Good. I doubt she will. She’s still trying to process everything. Ethan and I are checking into Ben’s whereabouts. Let’s wait and see if there is any substance to her claim before we have another heart to heart. If Ben is guilty, she’ll need a lot of comfort.”

Stone
pushed off from the counter and walked into the living room. “I’m taking her hiking today. Maybe that will help keep her mind off her troubles.”

“Great. Keep her safe.” V
oices sounded in the background. “I gotta go.” Cade hung up.

“This sucks.” Stone grabbed his keys and headed out.

Fifteen minutes later, he pulled up in her drive. The day was perfect—temp almost near eighty—which for Rock Hard, Montana was a rarity. They’d get hot climbing, but what he had planned at the top would take care of that.

As he slipped from his truck, the front door opened, and beautiful Amber emerged. She was thankfully wearing proper hiking boots and carrying a daypack. He was worried she might bring a purse or something. From the way her long sleeve shirt was bunched in places, he suspected she’d layered for the day. Smart girl.

“Hey.” Stone ran up and embraced her.

Having her in his arms set his body on fire. He hugged her tight then loosened his grip. If he had his way, he’d never let her go. His lips yearned to taste her, and he captured her delicious mouth. She was pure sweetness. Her arms slipped over his shoulders and wrapped
them around his neck. When his stiff cock pressed against her body, he leaned back, chuckled, and adjusted his balls.