An Act of Obsession (Acts of Honor Book 3) (23 page)

Another laugh leaves me. “Don’t worry, Slade, it’ll only be for a few hours then I’m all yours.”

Instead of smiling back, he stares down at me, eyes somber. “Come in the water with us, Soph. You can wear my sister’s bathing suit.”

I shake my head, panic striking me at the thought. “I don’t think so. I’ll just watch.”

“Come on, baby. I’ve seen every inch of your beautiful body. You have nothing to hide or feel ashamed of.”

I give him an appreciative smile but it’s sad.

“Come be with us,” he pushes, diminishing my resolve.

“Okay,” I relent with an anxious breath, unable to deny him.

Once Benny exits the spare room, Kolan grabs his sister’s bathing suit, leaving it on the bed for me before heading to change. I stare down at the two scraps of material for a long time before finding the courage to put it on.

I turn toward the mirror, making sure to only look from my chest down. The white bikini fits well and is something I would have worn years ago to the beach when I lived in California. A smile takes over my face as I remember how Tess and I used to drive my dad crazy with our choice of bathing suits, despite how modest they were.

Pushing the thought away, I collect a deep breath and walk out of the room to hear Benny’s laughter trailing into the house. I’m barely able to make out the sweet sound through my pounding heart. The moment I step outside, the sun embraces me, soothing my nerves and dancing along my skin. Skin that hasn’t felt the sun in so long.

Benny and Kolan stand next to the pool, playing catch, but it quits the moment Kolan spots me. His body stiffens. I can’t see his eyes since his aviators shield them, but I swear I can feel them. Over every bare inch of me.

Why this makes me so nervous I don’t know, especially when he has seen me completely nude, but for some reason this feels different.

“Come on, Champ. What are you waiting for?” Benny asks with his hands in the air, waiting for the ball to come back to him. When he clues in to where Kolan’s attention is, he turns around to face me. “Whoa,” he breathes, making me feel even more nervous.

My stomach lurches as I fight every instinct not to run back into the house and hide.

Kolan finally moves, shoving Benny into the pool as he passes him. My eyes grow wide, heart dancing wildly as he stalks toward me.

I gasp as he jerks me against him. His hand weaves into my hair as he tilts my head back and claims my mouth in a possessive kiss.

I grab onto his hard shoulders to steady myself, his intoxicating flavor sending my senses reeling. When he pulls back, it takes me a moment to catch my breath. When I finally manage to open my eyes, I see his handsome face hovering inches from mine.

“Hi,” I say through short breaths.

His lips quirk in amusement. “Hey, baby.”

“So uh…the bathing suit fits.”

A low growl rumbles from his chest. “Yeah, I see that. You look really fucking good, Soph.” Leaning in, he brings his lips to the jagged skin of my throat, loving the ugliest part of me.

“Yeah?” I ask breathlessly, my fingers digging into his strong shoulders.

“Yeah, and if I didn’t have a kid here right now, I would show you by bending you over one of these lounge chairs and fucking you senseless.” His hand lands across my ass, the delectable sting pushing a fiery whimper past my lips.

Oh god.

Seconds later, my feet leave the ground as he gathers me in his arms, bringing my back flush to his hard chest. His purposeful strides have but one destination.

“What on earth are you doing?” I squeal, squirming to get free.

“Getting you wet.” He chuckles just before sending us into the pool.

The cool water explodes through my body, cleansing my skin and refreshing my soul.

“All right!” Benny cheers as I clear the surface.

With a sputter, I push against Kolan’s chest, but he keeps me locked in his arms. “You could give a girl some warning, ya know.”

“That wouldn’t be as fun.”

“You’re going to pay for that, Slade.”

A dirty grin lifts his lips. “Give it your best, baby.”

Bracing my hands on his broad shoulders, I try with all my might to push him down, but he goes nowhere.

“Have no fear, Sophie, I’ll save you,” Benny bellows in a deep voice. I turn to see him out of the pool, backing up with enough distance to come running for us.

“Shit!” Kolan pushes me out of the way, catching Benny’s small body as he sails through the air before sending him into the water headfirst.

“Aw, man, I almost had you,” Benny grumbles when he floats back up. “Come on, Sophie. Help me.”

With a laugh, I launch for Kolan the same time Benny does, my heart lighter and happier than it has been in a really long time.

Kolan

L
ater that night, I walk outside to take a call from Sarge and get caught up on everything I’ve missed the past few days, especially the youth. When he informs me that Benny took it upon himself to be in charge until I return, I can’t help but grunt.

Figures.

However, after the way he put a smile on Sophie’s face today with that bracelet, he can pretty much have whatever the fuck he wants. That kid might be a pain in my ass, but I have to admit he’s smooth. It made me wish I had thought to do something like that. Instead, I’ve been burying myself in her every chance I get, making her moan and scream my name…

The thought has me adjusting myself. I’ve been as hard as a goddamn rock since she walked out in that bathing suit this afternoon. It took every ounce of restraint I had not to rip that scrap of material from her sweet body and fuck her like I wanted to.

I took her to the doctor the day after we were together and got her on birth control. Since then I’ve spent every moment I can inside of her, worshiping her in ways I never knew I was capable of. I’ve managed to keep the dark part of myself hidden, and strangely…I don’t miss it. I want to own her and claim her in ways she could never imagine, but I don’t
need
it. All I need is her…and the control.

Deciding not to wait another second, I finish up with Sarge then go on the hunt, anticipation swelling in my veins. I end up finding her in my gym. Music quietly plays from the speakers as she stands in front of the floor to ceiling mirrors, staring at her reflection. She’s still in her sundress that she threw on over her bathing suit from when we drove Benny home earlier. Her expression is thoughtful as she touches the jagged scars on her slender neck.

I come to stand behind her, my hand sweeping her long hair to the side before bringing my lips to the base of her throat.

“It’s worse than I remember,” she whispers.

“Is this the first time you’re seeing them?”

She nods. “Yeah, other than when I was in the hospital. I couldn’t bear to look at them,” she admits quietly, her fingers tracing the scars. “He didn’t leave a single inch of flesh untouched.”

“He left a lot untouched,” I say, bringing her body flush against mine.

The back of her head rests against my chest. “I wish you would have known me before all of this. I was so different. I was fearless, confident. I smiled all the time and loved life. I never hid any part of myself. I wasn’t so…damaged.”

“You’re far from damaged,” I tell her. “I don’t know the girl you were before but I really like the girl I’m looking at now.” My hand moves to her neck, my thumb stroking her angry skin. “This might be all you see when you look at yourself but it isn’t what anyone else sees. It’s only a small part of who you are and even that part is not flawed. We all have weaknesses, Soph, and I like that I’ve gotten to see all of yours. Trust me when I tell you, the furthest word from my mind when thinking of you is weak.”

A smile stretches her pretty lips seconds before she turns around to face me, her arms winding around my neck. “You say the most perfect things.”

I pull her in close. “I just speak the truth. It’s all you’ll ever get from me.”

Rising up on her tiptoes, she feathers her lips across mine. “Dance with me.”

Eminem coming from the speakers is far from danceable, but I find myself unable to deny her. I’d give her anything she asked for if it made her smile. My feet shift, moving us side to side in the most awkward rhythm.

“I really suck at this shit,” I tell her, every muscle in my body stiff. Usually I’m good on my feet, especially when I’m in the ring, but not at this. However, if I were between her legs right now, rhythm wouldn’t be a fucking issue.

“No, you don’t,” she lies, gazing up at me with a smile on her face. “If I could choose one person to dance with for the rest of my life, it would be you, Kolan Slade.”

I drop my hands to her ass, bringing her flush against my straining cock. “I have a better idea.”

“Hmm, and what might that be?”

“You dance for me.”

She stills in my arms. “Are you serious?”

Instead of repeating myself, I unwind her arms from around my neck and go grab the chair I have sitting in the corner, bringing it to the center of the room before taking a seat.

A shy laugh escapes her. “You seriously want me to dance for you?”

“Yep.” I hold her eyes, challenging her.

With a sassy smirk, she moves toward me, her hands planting on the back of the chair on either side of my shoulders. “All right, Slade, I’ll dance for you…on one condition.”

I lift a brow, surprised by her boldness and a little amused. “And what’s that?”

“No touching allowed. House rules.”

I grunt. “There are no rules, baby, because I’m the one who makes them.”

Her smirk spreads into a full smile. “Not this time. Follow the rules or I stop.”

The dark hunger I’ve been trying to conceal begins to claw its way to the surface.

My fingers grasp her chin, holding her in place. “Watch it, Sophie. Tempt the beast and it’s exactly what you’ll get.”

“Maybe it’s time I met him.”

My muscles burn, fire surging through my blood. She has no idea what she’s asking for.

Leaning in, she brushes her lips across my jaw before moving to my ear. “Relax, Slade, and enjoy the show.”

It takes every ounce of control I possess not to throw her down right here and pound into her like the animal I keep caged inside.

Stepping back, she walks over to the stereo and picks up my iPod. “What kind of selection do you have going on here?”

“It’s satellite,” I tell her, then clear my throat when I hear how rough my voice sounds. “Click on the green icon and type in any song you want.”

“Hmm…any requests?”

I stare back at her, wondering if she’s serious. “Baby, I don’t give a fuck if there is any music. I just want to watch you dance.”

A laugh tumbles past her lips, creating a seductive melody all on its own. “Hold your horses, Slade. I got something in mind that will work just fine.”

Her body works perfect with or without a fucking song. I dig deep for patience as she takes her precious time finding whatever she’s looking for.

A few seconds later, “I Touch Myself” by the Divinyls comes through the speakers. The only reason I recognize it is because my sister is a music buff and I had to listen to shit like this constantly. However, this song could end up being a favorite now. Especially if she keeps swinging those hips like that.

She turns to me, clearly holding back a laugh. “It’s perfect, right? Because it’s true.” Pointing at me, she begins singing, “When I think about you, I touch myself.” My blank expression has her tossing her head back on a laugh, finding herself fucking hilarious.

I find nothing funny about how hard she makes my dick. “Dance, Sophie,” I order.

“My, my, aren’t we impatient,” she sasses, spinning around with her arms above her head. She starts toward me, each swing and dip of her hips tempting—sexy.

Driving me to the edge of fucking insanity.

She silently sings along with the song, trying to be cute, but my mind can’t seem to focus on anything else except the words falling from her lips. Evoking images of her spread out, fingers buried in her sweet little pussy while thinking about me.

The fantasy fades as she gets closer, her addictive scent rushing through my blood like my favorite drug.

She stops a few feet in front of me, just out of reach. Her fingers tease the tops of her silky thighs as she drags her dress up.

Then down.

Up.

Then down.

Offering me only a peek of the sweet spot I crave. Slowly, and I do mean so fucking slowly, she peels the dress from her body, tossing it in a heap at my feet.

Okay, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.

Eyes hooded and flickering with desire, she turns her back to me, pulling the string of her bikini loose as she does. Every muscle in my body is tense—hard—as she circles that perky ass of hers.

The best ass I’ve ever laid eyes on.

My fingers curl into my palm as I get the urge to slap it, to hear the sound crack through the air and watch her pretty flesh stain with my mark.

Once her top falls to the floor, she covers herself with her hands, shielding them from my view in the mirror she faces. With a taunting smile, she tosses me her seductive eyes over her shoulder.

“Turn around,” I order.

She gives me a shake of her head, her defiance raging in my blood. Holding her gaze, I shed my shirt from my body then unzip my jeans and pull out my stiff cock, pumping it with a firm grip.

A gasp parts her lips, a sweet flush heating her cheeks.

“Turn around, Sophie.”

This time, she follows the order.

“Drop your hands.” My voice is deep and controlled, despite the chaos roaring through my veins.

She does, revealing full, round tits and tight, pink nipples that are begging for my mouth.

“Closer.”

She moves to stand in front of me, her gaze remaining glued to my hand, watching every stroke. Gauging from her quickened breaths, she’s enjoying the show as much as I am.

“You like knowing you do this to me? Like seeing me hard for you?”

“Yes,” she whispers.

Hooking two fingers into her swim bottoms, I jerk her between my legs and take a sharp nip of one stiff peak, drawing a harsh gasp from her.