The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone (170 page)

“Christ Lay . . .” he roared as his hips bucked and he thundered a sound so feral I was coming again at the sight of the carnal rapture on his stunning face.

“Shit baby” he gasped as he rested his forehead against mine and his eyes held mine. The deep piercing blueness seemed endless as I gazed back at him but I saw the flicker of anxiousness and uncertainty behind the brightness.

I cupped his face and locked him down with my own gaze. “Tell me again” I ordered softly.

He stroked the tip of his nose along the length of mine before he rested his lips over mine “I’m in love with you, Layla Summers.”

I closed my eyes and savoured his words, the passion and truth in the way he said them held my heart in a powerful grip and thumped it harshly causing a ripple of exhilaration to course through every nerve ending in my body.

I sighed in contentment and I opened my eyes and smiled widely at him “I love you too, Lucas Hunt.”

He stuttered on a breath and then the biggest grin lit his face and he beamed at me as he rolled us over until I was sprawled over him.

“Say it again” he whispered breathlessly in my ear as he nibbled on my lobe.

“I love you, I love you, I love you” I repeated happily as he inhaled a lungful of me and held me close.

We remained silent for a while; just wrapped up in each other as our thoughts took over and we contemplated what was to come between us. I sighed heavily when Diablo burst to the forefront of all other thoughts and as if sensing my apprehension, Lucas shifted us so we were side by side and facing each other.

“Listen to me Red,” he started as he stroked his finger along the edge of my cheek and down my chin, his eyes mesmerised by his own movement. “I’ve never been a hero, never even watched bloody Superman. I run at the first sign of trouble and I jump a mile at my own shadow. But for you, I’ll take on the fucking Devil himself . . . and I’ll win and I’ll make sure I win well.”

I cried then, big hefty, snotty gusts of tears. They poured from everywhere; my eyes, my nose, my heart, my spirit and from my very soul.

Lucas held me as they took over and conquered me. His soft rocking motion comforted me as he whispered words of love in my ear and planted tender kisses on my forehead, whilst I clutched tightly on to him. My hands fisted his flesh as my nails dug deep into his skin but he took it all, absorbed every single piece of my torture and swallowed it from me as I tried to climb inside him for protection.

“Shush, baby” he whispered, “I love you. I’m here to protect you and I’ll die doing it if I have to . . .”

These words halted my tears and I looked up at him, my wet cheek sliding against his smooth chest “I won’t let him hurt you, Lucas.”

He tipped his head and regarded me with puzzlement before he smiled softly and nodded. His yield made me contemplate his belief in me.

“I mean it, Lucas. I will make sure you are safe from him. That is one promise I can give you, every other, well, we’ll have to see what happens but I promise that I will keep you safe until the day I die.”

Knowing that these words would probably be truer than Lucas predicted them to be, had me hurting at the dedication I was telling him.

Lucas smiled at me and kissed my eyes. “I know, baby but you won’t need to cos’ he won’t get to you anymore.”

I relented without an argument and just nodded at his words but I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I would be facing the wrath of Diablo very soon.

Chapter 20

Lucas

I WATCHED HER sleep for a long while. My frantic beating heart wouldn’t let me settle and I just lay, staring at her beauty.

Even asleep she was the most exquisite thing I had ever set eyes on.

She was mine; her body, her soul and her mind, they were all mine and I grinned to myself at the knowledge.

She murmured in her sleep as her closed eyes flicked gently. She was obviously dreaming and I smiled when she gave out a little soft moan.

I hoped it was me she was dreaming of making erotic noises like that.

I frowned when the little moans suddenly became long drawn out whines and her body started convulsing as she fought with the duvet, thrashing restlessly as sweat poured from her and her breathing sped up to an awfully high pace.

“Red . . . Red! LAY . . .” I tried to wake her but she continued jerking and shaking.

Unexpectedly, she flung herself upright and screamed, her hands and legs beating at an invisible enemy as she shook her head rapidly shouting. “Please don’t . . . please, Noooo . . .”

I grabbed her forearms and shot backwards when she punched me straight on the cheekbone as she continued to cry out. Pain seared through my face at a severe degree and I was silently in awe of her strength.

Her bedroom door flew open and Sara blinked in confusion as she skidded to a halt at the sight of me nursing a bruised cheek and trying to calm Red down.

“I can’t wake her” I explained quickly. Sara seemed to shake herself off and take charge.

She disappeared into the bathroom and came back in with a facecloth, hot vapour rising from it as she took hold of Red’s arms, pulled them behind her back and held them there in a tight grip and then proceeded to wipe at Red’s face with the cloth.

Red let out a fierce growl and I propelled myself towards Sara to protect her against Red’s fury but she shook her head, “Wait” she told me calmly.

She wiped again and Red gasped in a huge breath as her eyes flicked open with a ferocious snarl but Sara held on tight and whispered something into Red’s ear.

I saw her throat bob and her eyes dart around the room before she slumped back onto Sara and appeared to have fallen back to sleep.

Sara shifted and laid Red back down gently before standing and then disappeared into the hallway.

I watched, stunned as Red’s breathing steadied out and she showed no sign of distress as she slept peacefully again.

Sara came back in with a tea towel containing a bag of frozen peas and held it against my face.

I hissed at the shock but smiled gratefully at her when it began to ease the ache.

“She gonna be okay?” I asked quietly as I tilted my chin towards Red.

Sara smiled softly and nodded, “Yeah, she won’t remember anything about it tomorrow.”

I nodded, not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. “She have a lot?”

Sara sighed and frowned sadly then nodded her head. “Yeah, a few” she divulged and I gulped back the sorrow as I took another glance at a serene Red.

Sara rubbed my shoulder and then departed through the door, quietly closing it behind her as I shivered against the realisation of how deep Red’s pain went.

She had night terrors, she was frightened to death of the dark and she was terrified to live, to just be herself, to let loose and live.

A fierce emotion of protection and the need to take care of her flooded my core and I silently promised her that I would do everything in my power to turn her life around and make her happy, keep her safe and above all, teach her how to love and how to accept love.

Show her how to receive affection freely, without the need of giving something in return and to finally accept that she was so utterly perfect that she did deserve happiness and love.

I stretched out beside her and pulled her tight little body against mine, her back to my chest as I enveloped her in my arms and held her tight.

I smiled when she murmured my name and snuggled back into me, her pert little ass fit perfectly into my groin and I sighed contentedly when we fit seamlessly together, like the exact fit of a jigsaw piece.

“You were created for me, Red” I whispered into her hair.

She sighed and moaned faintly before she pulled my arms tighter around her and I nuzzled her neck tenderly as my eyes closed wearily, but I didn’t fall asleep until after I heard her soft murmur.

“I love you, Lucas . . .”

* * *

I smiled to myself behind my closed eyes as I felt Red’s small fingers grip my cock and stroke it gently, her gentle movement igniting fire in my gut as all my blood flowed south and pumped my erection even harder.

“Goodness me, Mr Hunt. You seem to have an urgent matter that needs attending to at once” Red’s sultry voice filtered through my ears and I opened my eyes and smirked at her.

“That I do, Miss Summers. Are you offering your assistance in this very important issue?” I grinned down at her as her mouth settled on my chest and she placed warm wet kisses over my already hot skin.

“Of course Mr Hunt, I am extremely dedicated to resolving any exertions my boss develops.”

My breath stunted when her tongue swept out and trailed down my stomach towards its destination. I think I actually stopped breathing when she wiped her thumb across the tip of my cock, wiping the pre-cum away before she placed that same thumb in her mouth and sucked off my juices, her eyes closed in gratification.

“Ooh I think I wet my appetite Sir, I may need to relieve you of some more of that amazing cream. In fact I don’t think I can stop until I have drained every . . . single . . . drop . . . from . . . you.”

I groaned loudly as she mouthed my dick and sank all the way down slowly. “You seem to be too big for me, Mr Hunt” she grinned up at me wickedly as she fisted the base of my cock and then started her relentless torture.

At first she moved so slowly I thought I might go crazy, but then she flicked her tongue around me and started to change pace as she moaned with her own arousal.

“Come here” I ordered softly as I shifted her around so she was on all fours above me, her gorgeous pussy straight in my face as my cock stood upright and already disappearing into her mouth.

I could see how sore she still was from this position and it burnt a hole through me but I focused entirely on her clit, my lips and tongue teasing her gently until she was driving harder and harder onto me with the force of her oncoming climax.

My God, her tongue was amazing as she danced it over my shaft and the feeling was incredible as she worked me into a hot, sweaty, panting mess.

I growled a feral grunt as she took me all the way to the back of her throat and when the tip of my cock reached her tonsils she just swallowed and took more of me.

“Fuck yeah . . .” I groaned against her as the burn shot straight up my spine and into my brain as I shot my load straight down her elegant throat.

I gave her clit a final lick with the flat of my tongue and she followed my violent orgasm with her own, and although I was tempted to lap at her delicious juice, I didn’t. I was too frightened of hurting her but I palmed her butt cheeks and spread them wide and the action seemed to drag out her orgasm for her.

“Oh God, Lucas” she cried over my cock as she swallowed each and every drop I gave her whilst she shuddered and quaked with the force she came with.

“Fuck baby. Best blow job ever” I grinned up at her through the gap in our bodies.

She smiled down at me and then kissed the crown of my dick before she climbed off and shifted around so she was upright on the bed with me.

“Good morning, beautiful” I said as I planted a kiss on the tip of her nose. She gave me that soft chuckle of hers as she rose from the bed and pulled on her robe.

“Tea, coffee, juice?” she asked and I lifted an eyebrow at her. “Right, coffee” she smirked then exited the room.

I sighed and rolled onto my back, a huge grin covering my face as I realised it was Sunday and I could spend all day with Red.

Perfect.

She came back in the bedroom with a mug of tea for her and a tiny cup with an espresso in for me and I smiled my thanks as I downed it in one.

She lifted an eyebrow at my greediness but I winked at her and placed my cup down before I took her tea from her and placed it beside mine on the cabinet.

She frowned at me before I swept in to kiss her. “I can’t seem to get enough of you. I’m like an addict.”

She smiled before she kissed me back passionately and slipped her hands into my hair and grabbed a fistful as she moaned softly.

“Get ready and we’ll grab breakfast somewhere” I told her but she pulled back and grimaced.

“I can’t today.”

I pouted at her, my insatiability for her caused a disappointed flutter in my chest.

“You have plans, Red?”

She nodded as she planted her mouth back over mine and controlled our next kiss, as I cupped both cheeks and I echoed her passion and love as enthusiastically as she did.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered against me “But I’m free tonight.”

I frowned but nodded “I’ll pick you up at 8.”

She nodded as she climbed off the bed and went to the bathroom and I heard the shower running.

What the hell was I going to do all day now?

I knew the hours would drag as I waited for nightfall and I rolled onto my side and regarded her intently as she came back in after her shower, wearing nothing but a bright pink towel.

“What are you up to today then?” I asked as she pulled out some jeans and a fluffy lemon jumper from her wardrobe.

I saw her stutter and I narrowed my eyes but she recovered quickly and shrugged, “I uhh, I work a bar in town every Sunday lunch.”

“Oh that’s cool, I’ll just prop the bar up and watch you” I offered and she paused again then turned to me with a nervous expression.

“You can’t, its members only, Lucas. I’ll be ready for 8 tonight and I can look forward to it while I work.”

I remained silent as I watched her drop the towel and my eyes roamed every inch of her breath-taking figure as she covered each part of her slowly when she pulled on her clothes.

I sighed heavily as I joined her and got dressed, both of us silent and thoughtful.

I knew she was lying, what I didn’t know was why. But I was adamant I was going to find out what she was hiding.

Chapter 21

Layla

“V.O AND PASSPORT” The guard demanded and I passed him the documents. He eyed me up and down then handed back my things and pointed to the lockers.

“I know the score by now” I growled at the sour faced arsehole. He huffed and nodded as I stashed my things then went for my pat down before I lined up with the rest of the other miserable bastards like myself.