An Act of Obsession (Acts of Honor Book 3) (22 page)

Is she serious?

“Yeah, baby.” I rest my lips against her cheek. “And a third,” I murmur, trailing my mouth to her jaw. “And a fourth,” I continue, kissing down to her neck. “And a fifth. And a sixth.”

She wraps her arms around me with a laugh. “Okay, I get the point.”

“Good,” I say, laying one more kiss on her pink lips before pulling back to look at her. “I’m sorry I hurt you, Soph. If I had known, I would have been more careful.”

Her smile falters, eyes dimming. “No. It’s my fault. I didn’t know how to tell you. I’m probably the only girl on the planet who’s still a virgin at my age. I never had the chance to date much less…”

I’m thankful she trails off because I don’t want to talk about that bastard, and I definitely don’t want to think about her being with anyone else. The thought makes me violent.

“Well, you’re not a virgin anymore,” I tell her, my cock aching with the knowledge of me being the only one to have her.

Her smile returns. “No. Not anymore. Thanks to you.” She tugs on my hand. “Come hold me. I want to sleep in your arms all night.”

Lying next to her, I pull her in as close as possible, arranging her soft, naked body to face me. I drag the sheet up to her hips then wrap my arms around her to keep her warm.

“I need to tell you something,” she says, her timid eyes locked on mine.

Well shit, nothing good ever follows when a sentence begins like that.

“What?”

“I knew about you,” she admits sheepishly. “I found out you were…into that lifestyle shortly after I met you. I didn’t know what it was so I looked it up online.” By the uncertainty in her eyes, it’s clear she didn’t like what she saw.

“It isn’t for everyone, Soph.”

“I know, and I’m not judging. I just…don’t understand it. Why would someone want a person to hurt them?”

“It’s not like that. It’s not that kind of pain.” Even though there are pain whores out there, that’s really not my style. “Not everyone is in it for that. There are a lot of other reasons people do it.”

“You do it for the control,” she states, but I answer it as a question.

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“Because when you’ve lived without it for so long and you finally have it, you will do everything in your power to keep it. It’s something I won’t ever live without again.”

I hate admitting that to her. I don’t want to scare her away, but it’s something I need her to understand. I’d do almost anything for her but giving up control isn’t one of them. Especially when she has the power to completely destroy me.

Her hand lifts to my face, hazel eyes holding mine. “I’ll never take it from you, Kolan. I’d never do anything to hurt you.”

“I know.”

“You’ve been doing it for a really long time, huh?” she whispers.

The tone of her voice lets me know exactly where her thoughts are. Flipping her to her back, I come over top of her. “Yeah, I have. But make no mistake, Sophie. You are different. Tonight was different.
We
are different. Nothing or no one has ever compared to you. You get me?”

I may have fucked a lot of chicks but that’s all it ever was. I never felt shit for any of them. The girl beneath me is the only one I’ve ever cared about.

A bright smile lights up her face as she wraps her arms around my neck. “I get you, and I feel the same way. No one will ever compare to you.”

“Damn straight they won’t,” I say, eliciting a laugh out of her like I hoped to.

“Kiss me, Kolan, and don’t stop.”

With a growl, I seal my mouth over hers, my cock stirring for a second round with her. Knowing she can’t handle any more tonight, I decide to worship every part of her body with my mouth instead, devouring her pussy until she screams my name for the third time.

After I’ve laid claim to every inch of her body, I hold her in my arms until she falls asleep and decide this very second that I’m going to keep her forever.

Sophie

T
he last three days have been a whirlwind. Between the security team installing new locks and more cameras than the White House probably has, people have been coming and going.

I haven’t been back to work. Kolan and Cooper both don’t think it’s a good idea until Daniel is found. Even though the police station is probably the safest place I could be other than here, they still didn’t want to risk it.

The lengths everyone has taken to ensure my safety warms my heart, yet I can’t help but feel guilty. The money Kolan has put into his house to make it safer and the time he has taken off work makes me feel horrible. But I don’t say anything; otherwise, he gets all cranky about it.

The thought has a smile tugging at my lips. I can’t deny the one good thing to come from this mess is getting to spend so much time with him. I’ve fallen head over heels for that man. Every second spent with him has been a beautiful one, even in the midst of all this terror and chaos.

In the mornings we walk along the beach, sometimes even early enough to watch the sun rise. Then in the evenings, we watch that same sun set. But my most favorite of all is when we are exploring each other in the most intimate way. Every time he’s inside of me it’s as if I’m getting a piece of myself back that I never knew was missing. I’ve never felt this connected to another person before. It’s freeing but scary at the same time. Because if I ever lost it—lost him—I’m not sure I would ever be whole again.

“Well, how much fucking longer? It’s been three days already for christ’s sake!” Kolan’s heated voice carries in through the open patio door, breaking into my thoughts.

Walking through the kitchen, I step out into the backyard, the late afternoon sun warming my skin. In a pair of black board shorts and a white muscle tank, Kolan stands by the pool, his body rigid and expression hard. The moment his eyes meet mine, his features soften as he tries to conceal his anger from me.

“Yeah, fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He ends the call, pocketing his phone, then locks an arm around my waist and brings me against his hard body.

“Nick?” I ask, looking up at him.

He gives me a tight nod. “He and Ryder are coming by tomorrow with Cooper. Sounds like they have some information just not the news we’re hoping for.”

Meaning they still don’t know where Daniel is. I didn’t expect them to. He’s too good at hiding. He’s been doing it for so long.

As long as I have.

Kolan and I have been avoiding the topic as much as possible, never wanting to talk about him. Instead, we’ve been losing ourselves in each other every chance we get, but there’s no denying the dark, heavy cloud looming over us. I’m waiting for the day he will strike again.

“We might never find him,” I whisper.

“We will.”

I wish I felt as confident.

Cupping my bottom in both his large hands, he hoists me up. My legs wrap around his trim waist and arms around his neck.

“Enough about this shit. What are we doing tonight?”

With a smile, I swipe the black backwards hat from his head and put it on mine, angling it the same way. My fingers run through his messy hair as I brush a kiss across his lips. “Hmm, I have a few ideas in mind.”

A growl erupts from him, his fingers digging into my supple flesh. “Me, too. For starters, I’m going to fuck you with nothing but my hat on your head.”

He silences my giggle with a fiery kiss, stealing my breath and kicking my heart into overdrive. Just before things can get too hot and heavy, a buzzer sounds, alerting us someone is at the door.

Kolan pulls back with a heated curse. “Wait here. Don’t move,” he orders, placing me on my feet and turning to walk away.

“Yes, sir.” I salute him.

His strides stop, body tensing before he twists back to me. My breath catches at the stark hunger burning in his eyes. “Be careful, Sophie, that smart mouth can get you in a whole lot of trouble.”

The warning hangs heavy in the air as he walks away.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious about that ‘
trouble
.’ He’s been holding back with me, but the more I see him conceal that darkness, the more I want it unleashed. I want to know all of him, even the dark parts, but I’m not sure I’m ready yet.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Kolan’s surprised voice interrupts my thoughts.

Frowning, I walk into the house to see Benny standing at the front door with his backpack on and a gift bag in his hand.

“Hello to you too, Champ,” he greets Kolan with a punch in the arm. “For your information, I’m here to see your girlfriend.”

A smile forms on my lips as he passes by Kolan, moving toward me. It dies quickly though when his young brown eyes drop to my neck and widen in horror. It’s then I remember I’m not wearing a scarf. I get the urge to cover my throat but know it’s too late.

“Hi, Benny,” I greet him quietly.

His eyes snap back up to mine. “Hey, Lia. Uhhh…I mean, Sophie.”

Guilt strikes me deep. I hate that I deceived him, even if it was necessary.

He comes to stand in front of me. “I’m sorry about what happened to you at your house.”

“How do you know about that?” Kolan asks.

Benny turns back to him. “I heard Sarge and the guys talking about it in the office,” he explains. “So, what are we going to do about this mofo? I’m ready to kick some ass.” He follows up his words by punching a tiny fist into his open hand.

“
We
are not doing anything,” Kolan tells him.

“What do you mean? He messed with our girl, we gotta do somethin’.”

As much as his comment warms my heart, it also has dread settling in my stomach. The last thing I want is Benny getting mixed up in this.

“
I
will take care of it,” Kolan says. “You are staying out of it. I mean it, Benny. This isn’t a joke.”

“He’s right,” I cut in. “I love you for having my back, Benny, but we need to let the police handle this. Okay?”

His little shoulders slump in defeat. “Yeah, okay.” He hands me the small gift bag in his hand. “I came by to check on you and give you this.”

My smile returns as I accept it, my heart lighting up. “Thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”

He shrugs as if it isn’t a big deal. “It’s nothing much. Just something I made in one of my class workshops.”

Intrigued, I kneel down on the floor to open it. Reaching into the bag, I pull out a metal bangle bracelet. It’s thicker than most and molded crooked. There’s a single dangling heart charm that’s been glued on. It’s messy and the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

“You made this for me?” I ask, emotion working its way up my throat.

His feet shuffle nervously. “Yeah. You don’t have to wear it or anything. I would have bought you something nice, but I don’t have any money.”

My blurry eyes snap to his. “Oh no, Benny. This is perfect. It’s much more special than anything you could have bought for me,” I tell him. “It’s the nicest thing anyone has ever given me.”

“Really?” he asks.

“Really.”

He looks over at Kolan. “Hear that, Champ? Nicest thing she’s ever gotten.”

A grunt escapes him but there’s no denying how proud he is of Benny’s gesture.

With a watery laugh, I pull Benny into a hug. “Thank you so much. I will cherish this forever.”

“You’re welcome,” he responds quietly, his small arms squeezing me tight.

Kolan ends up breaking our moment. “If you’re done hitting on my woman, you mind telling me how you got here?”

“By taxi,” he says.

“A taxi?” Kolan asks in disbelief. “How the hell did you pay for that?”

“I haven’t. He’s outside waiting for you. You better hurry because the meter is running.”

A laugh bursts out of me at the incredulous expression on Kolan’s face.

“Are you kidding me right now?”

“Nope.”

Shaking his head, he mutters something before opening the front door and walking outside.

Benny flashes me that cheeky grin of his. “I think he missed me.”

“I think so, too. I know I did.” Every time I’m around this boy, he lights up my heart and makes me laugh like no other.

My admission earns me another radiant smile.

Kolan storms back in the house, not sharing in our amusement. “You owe me a hundred bucks.”

“How about we call it even for me helping you kick Cortez’s ass.”

Kolan looks less than enthused about that idea. “Does your mom even know you’re here?”

“Yep. But she doesn’t know it was by taxi. She thinks you came and picked me up, so stick with the story, will ya?”

“Why didn’t you call or text me? That’s why I bought you the damn phone.”

“Because I knew you probably wouldn’t let me come. You’re greedy when it comes to her,” he says, jerking his thumb at me.

I cover my mouth to muffle my laughter, knowing it won’t be appreciated at the moment.

Kolan shakes his head, getting more frustrated by the second. “Do you have any idea how dangerous it is that you just took a cab here by yourself?”

“Come on, Champ, ease up. My mom’s working late tonight. I brought my swim trunks. Thought we could have a pool party and get some grub. What do you think, Li—I mean, Sophie?” he asks, looking at me hopefully.

“I think it sounds like a lot of fun. If it’s okay with Kolan.”

“See, even your girlfriend wants to. You don’t want to disappoint her, do you?”

I worry for Benny’s safety when Kolan starts toward him, his eyes hard. Grabbing the front of his shirt, he lifts the small boy off his feet, bringing him eye level. Benny kicks the air with a laugh, his small hands wrapping around Kolan’s wrist.

“Next time, you call before you come,” Kolan says. “And you never take a taxi alone again. Got it?”

“Got it.”

Kolan flips him upside down, holding him up by his ankle. Benny laughs hysterically as he’s carried into the spare room and tossed on the bed. “Get dressed. I’ll meet you outside.”

“Make sure you order lots of pizza. I’m hungry,” he yells, just as Kolan closes the door.

My teeth sink into my bottom lip, trying to hold back my laughter as Kolan turns to look at me. “You have to admit, he’s quite resourceful.”

With a grunt, he strides over to me, taking me in his arms. “Yeah, he’s resourceful and a cock-blocker.”