Crushing Beauty (Harbingers of Sorrow MC): Vegas Titans Series (4 page)

“I can do this.”

“I know you can.”

“Thank you.”

Just then, the door swung open, and Jagger loomed over her.
His eyes softened as he saw the tears streaming down her face. He missed her.
He missed her touch. He missed the smell of her hair. And he missed this. He
missed how they'd always helped each other through the hard times.

“David, I’ll talk to you later.”

She hung up the phone and looked up at him. A rush of
jealousy spread throughout his body. Who was David? And why was he talking to
Britton? She’s mine! He took a breath. She wasn’t his any longer. He had given
up that privilege ten years ago. Why was he jealous? He calmed himself and
slouched down across from her.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, it's just so difficult to see you again, and especially
in these circumstances.”

“It's difficult for me too.”

Britton wanted to ask him why he had left her. It was the
only answer she truly cared about, but she knew if she asked, it would seem as
though she had spent half her life suffering by his hand. She couldn’t let that
side of her show.

“So you’re a high roller now, huh?” She chuckled.

“I like to gamble, and you have to bet big to win big.”

He reached over and wiped away her tears with his rough
hand. She wanted to follow that hand. She didn’t want it to leave her skin. She
fought the urge to purse her lips and kiss his palm. But she didn’t. She held
firm. He continued.

“You know, seeing you like this reminds me of the first time
we met.”

“Ha, what a day, huh?”

“Do you see this?” He pulled down his shirt over his
shoulder, uncovering a colossal scar. Every time I look in the mirror, I am
reminded of that day. I am reminded of you.”

Why didn’t you take me with you?
She wanted to
scream. Instead she reached out and grabbed his hands in hers. It was
comforting, and it felt like home. She had forgotten what that was like, but
this was for show. She had the upper hand, and she would use it to her
advantage.

As they sat there together in the stairwell, Britton silently
recalled the night they met:

Britton had just heard the news. She bolted from her
house, and didn’t stop until she hit the far away patch of trees she would
stare at from her sixth floor window. She had never been there, but always
dreamed of stealing away to that place, far from her family. She was only five,
but she knew what it felt like to carry the weight of the world on her
shoulders. Her parents had been out all night. Every cent they made went to
feed their lifestyle of top shelf liquor and outrageous gambling.

At first it was fun. They would exchange stories of what
they would do when they won the jackpot. Britton planned vacations and looked
at gorgeous mansions in the real estate section of the newspaper. She had such
high hopes, but pretty soon it became apparent that their dream would never
come to fruition and her parents were not equipped to care for them. Two adults
and six kids were all living in a two-room apartment, and her parents spent
every dime at the casinos. No dreams of jackpots would ever change that
reality.

That morning, her older brother was preparing to go to
school. He had a project to present, and he was very excited about it. The kids
couldn’t wake up their parents; they were passed out. Mateo knew the way to
school and decided to walk himself. On his way, a group of teenagers involved
in a gang initiation shot and killed him. He was only six. That was the moment
that Britton swore to one day leave Nevada and never look back.

She ran deeper into the trees, coming across an old stone
fireplace. She stopped, catching her breath, and slowly stepped forward. A twig
cracked under her shoes, causing her to jump back. Then she heard a voice.

“Hello?”

“Hello? Who’s there?”

A little boy, no older than seven, peeked out from behind
the fireplace. He had been crying. Their faces were the same color: bright
blush-red. Britton extended her hand.

“Hi. My name is Britton. I’ve had a rough day. How about
you?”

“I’m Jagger. I’ve had a rough day too.”

He reached his hand out to grab hers, and she noticed the
massive wound across his shoulder.

“What happened?”

He hesitated, but decided to show her the cuts across his
thighs, the gashes under his chin, and the cigarette burns on his back. He said
his dad had a very stressful job, so when Jagger stepped out of line, he got
angry. He blamed himself.

It was an instant friendship, one based out of a need for
a real, loving family. They vowed to meet each other every day at their secret
place.

Jagger smiled at her. He couldn’t help it. Something about
this woman made him fall in love with her all over again. He knew he should be
cautious, but for tonight, just for tonight, he wanted to throw it all away and
be with her. He knelt in beside her, his lips inches from hers.

“Come upstairs with me.”

She wanted to punch him. After all this time he thought she
would just willingly crawl back into bed with him? It wasn’t what she wanted,
but now she had the opportunity to finally close this case. She couldn’t pass
that up. She would need to go upstairs with him. David would agree. She was
doing this for the job.

“Okay.” She whispered.

He scooped her up into his powerful arms and carried her up
to the next floor. He didn’t take his eyes off her once. He pushed open the
door to his private suite. Britton had never been up here. She knew the casino
was inside a hotel, but had never ventured off the gaming floor. She wanted to
look around, to get a better idea of her surroundings, but she needed to make
her desire for him seem believable. She let out a small yelp as he tossed her
onto the bed. She thought to herself,
okay, this will be quick, and then I
can look around after he falls asleep
.

She expected him to jump on top of her and start to rip off
her clothes. She forgot what it was like to be with him. Jagger wanted to do
just that. He had a very difficult time talking himself into taking it slow
with her. He wanted to remind her of what she was missing all these years. He
wanted her to return the passion they had shared so many years before. He
wanted her to forget David, whoever he was.

Britton closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. The light
behind her eyes disappeared and she knew he was standing over her.

“What are you doing?” He asked.

“You threw me on the bed.”

“Yeah, because it’s soft. Sit up.”

She did as she was told. He bent down in front of her,
putting his hands on either side of her thighs.

“I just want to look at you.”

No, she couldn’t handle this. She needed him to simply take
her. She didn’t want love. She didn’t want passion. She wanted meaningless sex
so that she could find the information necessary to build a case and to arrest
him. He put his hand under her chin.

“Look at me.”

They stared at each other. He placed his hands on her
shoulders and lightly caressed her arms, making his way down to her wrists. He
noticed the small bruises forming where he had grabbed her before. He forgot
how fragile she was. His heart sank. He'd hurt her. He quickly got up and
walked toward the door. Britton couldn’t let him leave; she had come too far.

“Jagger.”

She stood up and swung her hair behind her shoulders. He
turned around at the sound of his name and saw her full body, standing in front
of him. He had seen her behind the blackjack table, and then crouched down in
the stairwell, but not like this. Her body called to him. She had filled out
since they'd last been together. She was shapely in all the right places. He
bit his lip and moved toward her. He grabbed the back of her head with one hand
and lifted up her thigh to his hip with the other. He stopped short just before
their lips met.

“I have missed you, Britton Ramirez.”

Britton fought the words.

“And I you, Jagger Stromm.”

His hand crawled up her thigh, curving around her backside
and landing at the small of her back. He pulled her in tighter to him, still teasing
her with the warmth of his breath. Their eyes were locked as his hand traveled
up her spine, sending chills to her toes. She wanted to remind herself that
this was for the job and that she couldn’t get lost in this fantasy, but those
thoughts never formed to completion before the next moment his hand was wrapped
around the back of her neck and his tongue was diving into her open mouth. She
had forgotten that passion this intense could be ignited from only a kiss.

Jagger tried to slow himself down, knowing that this was
only for tonight. Tomorrow he would have to look into why she was in town and
if it was, in fact, a coincidence that they were brought back together. He
pulled himself away from her.

“What?” She wondered if she had done something wrong. It had
been awhile since she had been with a man.

“I never thought I’d see you again. I just want to enjoy
this moment.”

Sixteen-year-old Britton would have fallen for that, but
this Britton knew better. He was a master at seducing women. He knew exactly
what to say to entice a woman into his bed. Why would she be any different? He
pulled her head back by her hair and nuzzled her neck. He slowly planted kisses
around her collarbone and down her chest. She began to moisten with need
between her thighs, her body already yearning for his entry. How was he doing
this her? And when would he satisfy the need she was experiencing? He dropped
his hands and took a step back.

“Who is David?”

“What?”

“David. You were talking to him on the phone in the
stairwell.”

He couldn’t help himself. He was jealous, and being the boss;
he didn’t get jealous. She was his. She was his first, and he hated the idea of
someone else being with her. He wanted to find David and beat him within an
inch of his life. He could do that. His family could do that.

“He’s my friend, that’s all.”

He didn’t believe her. She answered too quickly. He knew how
to spot a lie.

“Do not lie to me.” His voice echoed in the open room. He
was getting angry. He could feel his face redden.

“He’s nobody.”

“Do you love him?”

“What?’

“You heard me.”

“You’re being crazy.”

“You’re not answering my question.”

“No, I don’t love him.”

“Do you care for him?”

“Jagger.”

“Britton, answer me.”

“Yes I care for him.”

He stopped. He had been prodding her for a response, but
didn’t know what to do when he received the answer he expected.

“No.”

“No what?”

“You can’t be with him...we found each other again.”

It took every ounce of her sanity not to scream at him that
she wasn’t his property to throw around and do with as he pleased. He pushed
her to the bed and climbed on top of her, pinning her shoulders to the bed with
his knees. She wanted to fight back. She wanted to get out of his hold, but she
knew that utilizing her self-defense skills would ruin her cover. She would
have to endure his anger. He unzipped his pants, releasing his starving member.
He clearly wanted her.

“Do you like that?”

She hated being talked to that way, but she couldn’t tell
him to stop. She needed to go along with him.

“Yes.”

“Open your mouth.”

She opened her mouth.

“Wider.”

She stretched her lips, and he plunged himself into her,
causing her to gag. It didn’t last for long as he quickly lifted himself off of
her, rising to his feet, and pulling her legs to wrap around him. He rolled his
hips, warming between her legs. He reached his body over top of hers to keep
her shoulders pinned to the bed. He liked her like this. He had complete control.
He could show her what he'd learned since the two of them had been last been one.
He would make her want him again. He would make her feel the love that was
burning inside of him. He clutched under her arms and pulled her body up to
his. She was straddled completely around him, his chin resting in her perked
cleavage. He turned and pushed her back up against the wall. She screamed. He
loved the sound of that.

Britton was turned on, and she hated herself for it. She was
bothered in a way she'd had only fantasized about before and she couldn’t
resist him anymore...it'd been so long. She dug her nails into his back as he
thrust into her pushing her harder and harder into the sturdy wall.

That was all the push he needed. He tossed her onto the bed
and reached his hands up her dress, taking hold of her black-laced thong, and
pulling it down her legs. If she were any other woman, he would have had his
way with her right there. No. He had waited too long for Britton to return to
him. He wanted all of her.

He flung her heels from her feet, and holding her calf in
his hand, brought his mouth to her leg. She remembered this trick. She knew
what was coming, and she craved for him to taste her. He slowly and tauntingly
made his way up her deliciously tight leg. He reached the bottom of her dress and
slid his fingers up and inside her ready, aching body. The feel of her warmth
took him over the edge. He flung up her dress, seized her hips, narrowed his
eyes, and disappeared.

She shrieked at the touch of his mouth on that most
sensitive part of her. He pushed and pulled her into him as his tongue found
places that hadn't been touched in years. She arched her back, allowing him to
search deeper into her. He didn’t want this evening to end here. He pulled
away, leaving her yearning and panting. He pulled off his shirt. His muscles
were even more defined than they had been in his teens. She stared at his bare
chest, willing it to crush the breath from her lungs. He stripped off his
pants, revealing himself to her as he had for the first time twelve years
earlier. This time was different. This time he knew what he was doing.

He ripped off her dress and threw it to the floor. He stopped
as the sight of her literally took his breath away. She was the reason men
wrote poems. If he had any talent in prose, his story would be epic. But his
talent lied in other areas, and he was about to divulge those to her in the next
few seconds. His mouth crushed hers and they moaned in unison. She grabbed his
hips, guiding him into her, but he held back. He wanted her to want him even
more than this. He slowly slid himself up and down, up and down, until her
panting turned into cries. She was ready for him. He sent his hips back, and
then plunged. She screamed from pain, pleasure, and the sheer need for even
more of him. She couldn’t get enough.

He flipped her on top of him, knowing he could reach deeper
inside of her this way. He watched her move. He watched her enjoy. And he
watched her loving the feel of him again. It was time to finish this. Still
inside her, he pushed her to his chest, stood up, and slammed her into the
wall. It hurt, but she wished for more. He grabbed her wrists, pinning them
out, away from her body, leaving her completely exposed. He was the only thing
supporting her. Without him inside of her, she would fall. He pushed faster and
deeper until their moans became desperate cries and their cries became climax.
They fell to the bed, both exhausted.

He didn’t want her to leave. She couldn’t move. He curled up
behind her, spooning her naked, damp body, taking in the scent of her. This is
what he'd been missing all of these years. Now he had it all. He looked around
the room taking in the wreckage left from his conquest. He noticed her red
dress strewn on the floor. It looked so familiar. It felt so familiar. Then it
hit him. That was the dress he bought her ten years ago. That was the dress he
had left her in on the side of the road. She wore that dress for a reason. She
knew she was going to see him tonight. He was being set up. He fell straight
into her trap.