Vice (Tortured Heroes Book 1) (12 page)

J
ase

She was liquid fire. Her lips. Her touch. I slid my arms behind her knees and lifted her off her feet. Devin let out a little squeal as I spun her around and headed for my bedroom door.

Her fingers skittered across my shoulder blades and we kissed like we were starved for it. We were. We became a jumble of limbs and clothes as I slid out of my pants and she tore her shirt over her head. She wore a pink satin bra fringed with little rosebuds. Her panties matched. I set her down on the bed and she scooted backward. Her lilting laughter sent goosebumps down my spine. I reached for her, dragging her panties down. She brought herself up on her knees and kissed me, trailing her lips down my chest.

I stood before her at the edge of the bed, threading my fingers through her wild hair. I loosened the rubber band holding her mass of curls in place. Wave after wave spilled over her shoulders as she made her way down, down.

I arched my neck toward the ceiling as Devin closed her mouth around me. She was warm and soft. Hesitant at first. Then she found a rhythm that drove me nearly out of my skin. God. She was perfect. She used her tongue and her lips on me. It took everything in me not to spill myself then and there. But I wanted to savor it. Savor her. We’d spent hours together last night but this was different. This time, we both really meant it. I rested my hands over the curve of her skull and struggled not to let my knees buckle as she stole a glance up and met my eyes. A wicked blush colored her cheeks then she settled her mouth back around me.

I meant what I said. There were a thousand reasons why taking this further was a bad idea. But none of them mattered then. I just wanted. I couldn’t have stayed away from her for anything. Devin was beautiful, perfect, and mine.

The room fell silent but for the sounds of the sweet torture she delivered to me. My cock surged and jumped in her mouth. When she looked up at me again with that sinful smile, I nearly lost it. But Devin knew just how far to push me then reined it back in with delicious skill.

Finally, I couldn’t take it. Oh, I wanted to. But not before I gave her the same treatment and watched her lose herself in the pleasure I gave her. I gently pulled her up until she knelt on the bed before me.

“Lay back,” I whispered. She kissed me deep then went back down. When she turned to crawl toward the head of the bed, again I almost unraveled at the sight of her perfect, round ass. Mine. All for me.

I reached down and put a hand on each of her knees and spread her legs wide. She bit her lip and her eyes traveled toward the ceiling. Watching her anticipate what I meant to do to her was almost as good as actually doing it.

Almost.

My Devin was sweet as honey as I kissed her and slid my tongue around her sensitive little bud. The way she squirmed and arched her back into me thrilled me to my core.

“Stay with me,” I whispered when I felt her limbs tighten and she gripped the sheets. I would take her pleasure, all of it. But not yet. I wanted to go slow.

“Jase,” she cried out. I loved the sound of my name on her lips. Especially when she said it like that. Pleading. I knew she couldn’t hold on much longer. All my plans to take it slow went straight out the window when Devin laced her fingers through my hair and drove me down. I controlled her but she controlled me too. And she tasted so good as I swirled my tongue around her and drew her out.

“Jase!” She screamed my name and every muscle in her body tensed as I tasted her. I teased her clit with my tongue, flicking her there over and over. She bucked and writhed, spreading her legs even wider. Devin gave herself to me with trust and abandon. I wanted to be worthy of it. I wanted to be worthy of her. I licked her slow and gentle, letting her savor the sensation. Then I felt her little bud grow hard beneath my lips and a gush of fluid heated her. She arched her back and gripped the sheets, bracing for the crescendo her body craved. She shuddered out her climax. I raised myself up on my elbows and watched her.

My Devin.

She pounded the mattress with her fist and cried out. Her knees trembled and her sweet little folds opened for me, inviting me. I kept my breath even, holding myself back so I could just enjoy the view.

As her body settled again, it was time for me to take my turn. I slid my hands beneath her supple ass and brought her further down on the bed. When I sheathed myself inside her hot wetness, lightning went through me. Devin found the strength to wrap her legs around my waist. I smoothed the hair away from her face and we locked eyes.

Again, my plan to go slow failed. I glided into her, pumping faster, stronger as she groaned and spurred me on.

“Please,” she begged and it sent me over the edge. I felt her walls clench and spasm around me as a second orgasm ripped through her. My body went rigid as I spilled my seed and Devin coiled herself around me even tighter, only too eager to receive it.

She was everything. That moment. I wanted to freeze it in amber forever. It was real and true. For the first time in months, in maybe my whole life, I knew who I was and what I wanted.

Devin. We belonged to each other. I squeezed my eyes shut as the last wave of pleasure rippled through me and went into her. She lay before me. Open. Willing. I just prayed that when she knew everything, she’d want me anyway. Even though I knew that was a hopeless fantasy.

I wrapped the sheet around her and pulled my Devin close. She was already half asleep as she snuggled against me and started to snore. I kissed her forehead one last time before letting sleep take me too.

It didn’t last long. It seemed only a few seconds before the first rays of sunlight stabbed through the slats in the window blinds. I woke with Devin still curled against me, snoring deeply. She pouted in her sleep. Her dark brows furrowed then straightened. I could watch her like this all day if she’d let me.

If she’d let me.

I was selfish. Again, I took what I wanted from her without telling her the truth. It wasn’t fair and I felt like a shit for it. Except I knew who she was. Or who she wasn’t. The evil swirling around her bar had nothing to do with her. I believed that in my soul. If I could just finish this job and help Stan bring a solid case against Cy Marsh, Devin would be free of it. But would she ever be able to forgive me?

I leaned down to kiss her again. She stirred. My heart clenched as she opened her eyes and smiled up at me. She trusted me. I knew what last night was. She wanted to come to me openly. She lay her truths at my feet and dared me to close the door on her. I didn’t. Couldn’t. But I couldn’t give her the same thing back. Not yet.

“What time is it?” she asked, groggy.

“Still early. Just past six, I think.”

“Mmm. Bed coma. I think I could sleep until noon.”

She turned to face me. The sheet slipped down, exposing her perfect breasts. I reached over and thumbed her nipples, watching them rise to peaks for me. She squirmed and tried to bat my hand away but her effort was half-hearted. She liked me touching her as much as I did. I leaned down and kissed her.

“I should go.” She yawned. “Let you get some proper sleep. That’s two nights in a row now I’ve kept you up.”

I laughed. “You think I mind? I can’t think of a better way to spend a sleepless night, Devin.”

She sat up and drew her knees to her chest, growing a little sheepish. “You know, we’re the talk of the bar. Obviously, Floyd put two and two together yesterday. The rest of them weren’t far behind.”

“Is that going to be a problem for you?”

She shrugged. “I’m not going to lie and say it doesn’t complicate things.”

“Sorry about that.”

“Me too.” She grew pensive, staring out the window. I reached up and kissed her again, looking for that sultry smile I’d come to recognize as only for me.

“What?” I asked.

She blushed and rested her hand against her cheek, half covering her mouth. “I tried telling you last night. This … you and me. This isn’t my usual MO. God. Jase. I feel like we’re doing everything backward.”

I nodded. “I see.”

“I don’t want to be one of those crazy, needy women. I’m not. I promise. But …”

“Devin, stop. I don’t think that of you. You don’t sleep around. Neither do I.”

“Good. But I feel like I don’t know anything about you. Not really. What are your hobbies? What did you want to be when you grew up?”

I swallowed hard. She didn’t deserve this. Anything I told her would be framed by a lie. It tore at me. I wanted nothing more than to open myself to this woman all the way. And I wanted to know everything there was to know about her. I leaned back against the pillows and crooked an arm over my head. She shifted her weight and looked back at me.

“Sorry. I’m doing it again. I ramble when I’m nervous.”

“I don’t want you to feel nervous around me. Not ever.”

“So ask me out,” she said.

I smiled. God, in addition to being a liar, I was a fucking asshole. “Dinner and a movie? Tell me where you want to go. I’ll make it happen.”

She smacked me with a pillow. “Cocky bastard. I didn’t say I’d say yes.”

Laughing, I pulled her against me. “Then maybe I’ll just tie you up and make you stay here.”

Her laughter dropped an octave, becoming wickedly sexy. It was a casual comment, but the vision of her spread eagle on my bed, helpless as I did things to her to make her plead for me again. God, it revved me up the same way it did her. “You’re trouble, Jase Randall. Aren’t you?”

The sound of that fake name stabbed through me, sobering me. Fuck. She didn’t fucking deserve my lies. The right thing to do was break this off now until I could come to her honestly. If she’d even have me then. And what if I did tell her now? Would she run to her uncle? I had no concrete basis for thinking it, but I believed in my heart she wouldn’t. I sensed a hard barrier between Devin and Cy. If she knew the truth of who he was, she just might want to help me. After all, her future was tied to his right now. I couldn’t believe she’d want to risk going down with him. And God help me, if it was within my power, she would
not
go down with him.

I should tell her. I knew it. Seeing her like this with her guard down. Trusting me. I should trust her back. Just being here with me was a leap of faith on her part. Maybe I needed to take one myself and tell her the truth.

“Jase?” She leaned down and gently knocked her fist against my forehead. “What’s going on in there? Did I say something wrong?”

I shook my head and pulled her close until she rested her head against my cheek. I smoothed the hair away from her forehead and kissed her there. “Not a thing. I was just thinking how much I wish we could just stay here in this bed all day.”

“Mmmm,” she purred. “Don’t tempt me.” She threaded her fingers through mine and kissed my palm.

“A date though. You serious? Because I am.”

“Well, it would be a start.”

“Give me a day. I’ll think of something special. Maybe we can get far away from Northpointe. That way you don’t have to worry about running into anyone from the bar.” It was a lie. A dick move maybe. I wanted to spend the day with her, but leaving Northpointe would make it safer for me.

“That’s a great idea.”

She settled against me and grew silent. I closed my eyes and relaxed into the pillows. Bed coma.

“Jase?”

“What, baby?”

“I suppose it’s early for us to be making promises to each other, but I think I’m going to ask for one anyway.”

My eyes snapped open. Devin shifted; sitting up she turned to face me. A line formed between her brows. “Promise you won’t fuck me over.”

My heart felt like it dropped down to my knees. She had a way of looking at me that made me feel like she could read my soul. Devin blinked hard and waited for an answer.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean … I’m not trying to get heavy on you. Honest. It’s just … being with you is going to cost me something. At the bar. With everyone. Somewhere in the middle of my hallway rant last night, I made a decision. I’ve decided not to care.”

“Devin … I …”

“I mean, I’ve decided not to care what everyone thinks if and when they find out we’re spending time together. Just … don’t make me regret it, okay? And don’t freak out. It’s just, I’m not stupid. I know there are things about you you don’t want me to know. Something in your past. I don’t know. And it’s none of my business. At least, for now. Just promise that whatever it is, you’re not going to fuck me over.”

I swallowed hard. I should tell her. I knew it. And yet, I couldn’t. In that moment I also knew the day would come she’d hate me for it. But today wasn’t that day. I leaned up and kissed her, running my thumb along her jaw to tilt her head toward mine.

“I won’t fuck you over. I promise.” I kissed her again and hoped to God I could keep it.

She smiled up at me. She opened her mouth to say something else but my phone rang on the nightstand. I wanted to ignore it, but I was on thin ice with Stan from the other night.

“Go ahead,” Devin said; moving away from me she threw off the covers. Oh God. Seeing her standing at the edge of my bed naked and beautiful. It was enough to make a man forget his own name. “I’m going to take a shower. If you want, come over in a little bit. I’ll make you eggs.”

Nodding, I reached for my phone. Devin smiled back at me before grabbing her shirt and jeans and heading out my bedroom door. It killed me to see her go, but I turned back and clicked on my phone.

“Hey,” I said.

“Hey, yourself. How soon can we meet?” His harsh tone sent heat through my blood. Whatever he wanted wasn’t good.

“Twenty minutes. Tell me where.”

“Shady Pines parking lot again. Twenty’s perfect.”

“Is this news I’m going to like?”

Stan’s hard breath into the phone told me just about everything I needed.

“No, Jase. You’re not going to like it one bit. It’s an unmitigated fucking disaster. Get here as fast as you can.”

Before I could ask any other questions, he clicked off the phone.