Fire (Beautiful Ashes Series, Book 2) (11 page)

Keeley began to pick at the bandage on her leg. Mitch pulled her fingers away from the wound. She answered him with tears sliding down her cheeks. “He’s with a woman and child.”

“Not ‘with,’ Keeley,” came the growled response. “He’s been
ordered
to protect them.” Mitch decided to tell her everything. She couldn’t help if she didn’t understand. Her agitation increased with each piece of information he gave until she was up on her feet, tugging him. “No. Not tonight. It’s safer in the morning.” He could see the protest in every line of her face. “Trust me on this, Keeley. We’ll go as soon as the sun rises.”

She was angry but, at the same time, knew they needed Shelby to guide the way. Keeley wanted to throw something, anything. Lisa was dangerous. She knew it when she saw her with Tar. Now, Mitch confirmed her suspicions. Rage boiled in her blood as she lay there in the dark. Her mind providing all sorts of naughty that could be going on in that house.

The demon hissed, “Go now. You can find your way. None of them will ever know.” He knew if she would leave the safe haven she was in, he could have her killed. His dark angel was so close to being in Hell with him for all eternity. To seal her fate he flashed a wicked scene before her. Tar’s face buried in Lisa’s pussy as he spoke every word he’d ever said to Keeley. It worked. She bolted off the floor and took off without a look back.

The demon slunk around the corner to the murderer, who was jonesing for his next kill, and enticed him with visions of taking a young woman’s life. The feel of her body locking down as he raped her, and the look of horror as she breathed her last breath. Yes, he had him salivating for a victim before he returned to his soon to be queen.

“This way, Keeley,” the demon crooned to her down the deserted, filthy back alley.

Careful not to wake the sleeping child or his mother, Tar eased the door shut. There were several traps set, if the house was invaded, to alert Lisa. He silenced the part of him that chastised for leaving them while they were under his protection. The justification came in one word: reconnaissance. Information was needed on who had Chase and where, along with making contact with Mitch, who knew damn well how to reach Keeley. He couldn’t go another day without at least speaking to her. Though the apology should be done face-to-face and body to body if she’d let him touch her. He’d understand if she wouldn’t let him put one finger on her, knowing it would take time to rebuild trust for both of them. Tar only wanted the opportunity to lay that firm foundation. And he would do whatever it took to show her he wasn’t leaving again, that love meant working through the tough shit.

Tar decided on his way to where he’d last known the team’s headquarters to be that he’d stop in and check on a particular angel. He knew she needed off the streets, but Shelby was strong-willed and would take some serious convincing. Mitch could help him out with that. Tar had brought him up to speed on the nurse before everything went to hell.
Call it, McNeil
! Before he fucked it all up with Keeley, and his brother ended up in the hands of perverts. Damn. How would Chase ever get back to normal after what he was enduring? At that moment was still being tortured? He couldn’t let his mind go there. One step at a time. He’d help his brother get through this. The Strand brothers taught him family always stuck together.

An eerie silence pushed against Tar’s chest, making breathing strained. His skin prickled with awareness. Something evil was close. The taste of stagnant air on his tongue. A rancid odor in his nostrils drew him right instead of left. His mind began to process the scene. She was so small and so broken. A teenager he realized on closer inspection. Her clothes told him she was a runaway who’d been surviving on the streets. Not long from what he could tell through all the blood. He bent down knowing she was long gone. No need to check for a pulse. Poor child suffered a horrific death. Nothing less than a monster had torn into her and left her most private areas exposed in a disgusting display. Tar shut his eyes tight. His emotions locked up as he searched for anything to give the dead girl an ounce of decency. He prayed silently, knowing he needed to call it in. There was protocol the team followed, and as soon as he could, the report would be filed. Shit. He wished he’d brought a cell phone with him. But being off the grid meant phones were a no go.

A man’s stern command brought Tar to full attention as he followed the sounds of a struggle. Odd. Most murderers didn’t need another fix so fast. But what he came upon wasn’t that at all. Mitch had a hold of Keeley as she tried with all her might to get away. “Damn it! Hold still and just listen to me,” Mitch pleaded, and Tar could tell he was trying hard not to hurt her. Keeley was making that almost impossible.

He stepped into Mitch’s line of sight. A nod passed between them. Tar grasped Keeley from behind and her head thrashed. He cupped her jaw and hissed in her ear. “Knock it off, Tigress.”

Keeley stilled instantly. She tried to call out his name but only managed a squeak.

Mitch assisted with, “She’s lost her voice.”

Tar chuckled darkly. “Under other circumstances that could be fun.”

Damn him for turning her on, she thought and attempted to smack him with the back of her head. His hold made that move difficult at best and all she managed to do was rub up against him in a way that made both of them groan at the contact. Mitch interrupted, “We need out of this alley. Bad vibes, man.”

Tar turned to him. “I need to make a report.” No need to say more, Mitch read between the lines.

“How far?”

“Block and a half west.”

“On it. Take little Miss-Pain-in-the-Ass over to the warehouse. South side is empty,” came the implied
if you’d like privacy
.

Hell yes, he did want her all to himself. Tar turned her to face him, leveling his gaze on hers. Everything in him wanted to just pick her up and carry her away so he could tell her all he felt, all he needed, with his body buried inside hers. But he acknowledged verbal communication would make or break them. Silence wasn’t the way to handle
any
problem, especially theirs. “Will you give me a chance to talk?”

Keeley held his regard and nodded.

On the walk back he clasped her hand with his, gauging where she stood with him. She didn’t pull away, which was a good sign. They found a secluded office. Tar lifted Keeley up onto a desk and pulled a chair over to sit in front of her. “How’d you lose your voice?” His head angled with concern.

She shrugged and hoarsely whispered, “Long story.”

“You okay otherwise?”

Her eyes darted down to her thigh and he tracked them. His big hand gently rubbed along the spot she stared at and he felt her tension. “Did you hurt yourself?” His gaze raised to hers and she noticed his brow furrowed.

Keeley reached forward to smooth out that deep V between his eyes and heard his deep intake of breath. So much to say but she wasn’t sure how long her voice would cooperate, or if he’d be able to hear her raspy whisper. Frustration filled her, spilling down her cheeks, which brought more worry to his brutally handsome face. “I’m sorry. So, so sorry for hurting you.” She wiped the flowing tears away and continued, “Sorry for lying to you. I sh-should…”

“No. No. No should’ve. It’s not all your fault, Keeley. I owe you an apology, too.” She leaned within kissing distance and he sweetly pulled out of range. Next, he hit his knees before her but never broke eye contact. “I failed you. I let you down. I broke a promise. A man is nothing without his word. I violated that in the most dishonorable of ways.” More tears streamed down her beautiful face as she shook her head. “Yes, I did. You know it’s true.” His hand was now above her left breast against her heart. He felt it beating harder. “You feel it,” not a little awe in his voice laced with hope. “Let me make it up to you.
Show you
how sorry I am. Prove to you that your love
is
enough. That we can work through this and be stronger.” Her breathing hitched but she was still shaking her head. “Your darkness doesn’t scare me, Tigress. Please, can I have another chance to prove that to you?” He waited on baited breath. This was it. That question determined it all.

Their future.

Their love.

She held his heart in the palm of her tiny hand.

God, the man was breathtaking. She did not deserve him. The kind thing to do would be to set him free. But her heart, her soul refused. “I’ve made mistakes. Some…unforgiveable.” Her head dropped while she stared at the floor.

Firm fingers lifted her chin. “Look at me, Keeley Ann Kincaid.”

She didn’t want to. Had no desire to see his disappointment or chastisement. Again, she focused in another direction.

He sighed heavily. “You’re killing me here, Viper. Please look at me,” he begged.

That got her attention and brought her tear filled gaze to his. What she saw stole her breath. Unadulterated love danced in his gorgeous emerald eyes. Brighter from the unshed tears he held at bay. She couldn’t help but study how they clung to his thick raven lashes. For her. He was pleading for her forgiveness, for her love. For a second chance. “All that is shattered can be mended,” she barely whispered and locked her little fingers around his large ones on her chin, shifting them away.

A flash of hurt flitted across his face at not understanding. It was her undoing. She grabbed his harsh face and met his mouth with force. All of those pent up emotions flooded that kiss. The mating of tongues and colliding of teeth desperate to convey every apology, every ounce of love. A meteor shower of so much feeling. Neither could pull away from the other as each gasp was replaced with more. So much more.

Tar forced himself to back away. He saw the confusion dance in her eyes. With slow precision, he locked the door and went to close the blinds that opened to the warehouse. A sexy smile tugged at her lips as she reached for the hem of her T-shirt. He shook his head, and she stilled all movement. “You are my gift. I want to unwrap you slowly. Savor every single inch of your glorious body. Meld my soul to yours as we join together.”

She covered her mouth with her hand. God, that was the most romantic thing she’d ever heard. “I love you, Tar.”

He was now standing in front of her. “Say it again,” he growled low.

Keeley stood and tip-toed, wrapping her hands around his neck and kissing along the edges of his mouth. He felt the words across his lips. “I. Love. You.”

Tar lifted and Keeley wound her legs around his waist. Another passionate melding of mouths brought the two of them leaning over the desk, where he made good on his words. Each area revealed to him brought his lips, his tongue in contact with her skin. The tease so exquisite she began to writhe underneath his big body. He pulled her hands from him, not wanting her to undress him. “I need to…”

“Kiss me all over,” she mouthed against his throat before sucking hard.

Fuck. He wanted that sweet mouth of hers wrapped around his cock. But not before he worshipped her pussy. Again he steadied himself and gently pushed her back. She rested on her elbows, hooded gaze locked on his. Tar continued where he left off at her bra strap resting on her shoulder. He peeled it down, trailing with licks and sucks until her right breast was exposed. A sinful twirl of his tongue on the turgid tip brought her legs around his. His large hands once more releasing her hold with a firm restraint on her hips. He lifted his head and met her lips with his. Tongues gliding before he whispered, “Behave or I’ll spank you.”

Keeley’s head fell back and Tar heard the small whimper. He made a mental note to start experimenting with spankings. The idea went straight to his cock, licking with heat. He repeated his earlier actions on her left side, but that time he sucked her nipple until she cried out. “You’re so beautiful.”

Though she was lost in the pleasure he was bringing her, those words stilled her. He raised his head from her pretty tits and held her searching gaze. “It’s true, Keeley.” The doubt played across her features. Something he couldn’t stand. How did she not know? The tip of his tongue began to tickle the hardened peak. He spoke against the swell of her breast. “More precious than diamonds.” Tar sucked along her flesh, moving down. “More priceless than gold.” His teeth nipped around her bellybutton ring. Quick fingers worked her out of her jeans and panties. He stepped back to just stare at her. “You are a treasure.”

She fought not to cover herself as he stood there taking her in. What she saw in his eyes was the very thing that kept her hands away. Desire, yes. But it was the adoration that made her
feel
his words. For the first time in her life, Keeley felt beautiful, treasured, and oh God, priceless. She opened her legs wider inviting him in. Tar went to his knees, raising her foot and kissing. There wasn’t any place on her he didn’t want to make love to. He worked up to the flare of her hip, then went to the other foot and began again at the tips of her toes. She squirmed under his torment as he nipped, causing a moan to escape her.

Tar traveled up her leg and paid close attention to her wound. He softly stroked his lips around the edge, then looked up until their gazes met. “Next time you need control, Tigress, you tell me. Never,” he sucked long and hard on the inside just shy of the nasty cut. “are you to harm yourself.”

She gasped, not only at the sensations he brought but also by what he said. “How can you do that?”

He heard the worry behind the question. Damn, he would never ever destroy her. “I can give you what you need without leaving scars.”

“Pleasure with pain,” she hissed as he slowly licked along the outside of her pussy.

“Whatever you need from me. But know,” he stuck his nose along her seam and inhaled deeply, drawing her scent all the way in, “I will only do what honors you.” Stopping right at her clit ring, again he locked eye contact with her. “You are mine to cherish. And I will make sure you never doubt my respect for you.”

Keeley swallowed hard. Part of her didn’t want to ask the question on the tip of her tongue, but he opened a door she needed to go through. “Are you saying like a husband should treat his wife?”

He blew along her throbbing clit before raising up to take her mouth with absolute devotion. Her fingers splayed in his hair as she held him firmly to her, giving and taking. Both were panting with need when he pulled away on a single word, “Yes.”

Her pulse fluttered and he felt her heart pounding as he made the slow trek down with fiery passion. Tar lost the gentleness he began with. By the time he reached that oh-so sexy clit ring, he was sucking without mercy. Her explosion was all over his mouth as he continued to eat her delicious pussy. Keeley was no stranger to multiple orgasms, especially with Tar, but what he was doing to her sent her into an orbit she never wanted to come back from. God, that stud in his tongue wreaked all kinds of new pleasure. She raised up on her elbows to watch him devour as he held her as wide open as he could. The naughty sight of him on her pussy made her say nasty things. She was met with utter shock when he raised his face, covered in her desire, and commanded, “I want to hear it again. Tell me how I make you feel when I suck this fucking beautiful pussy.”