Indulging in Irene (15 page)

I thumbed her pretty nipple as my other hand squeezed and kneaded its mate.

My cock began to pulse inside of her, and I knew it wouldn’t be long until I came. We fit together in absolute perfection, and her tight pussy clenched me as we moved in unison.

The warm water lapped at us like the hands of a lover, heightening the sensation, pushing me even closer to climax. I grabbed her hips, meaning to slow down my excitement, but it pushed me deeper inside of her.

“Fuck,” I growled and bit her shoulder, trying not to come before Irelyn.

“Zolt,” she whimpered as I hit that spot deep inside her. Before I lost total control, my thumb found her clit and started to rub.

“Oh, God, yes!” Irelyn cried out as her orgasm blasted through her. She convulsed around me, rocketing me into my own climax, taking all I had to give.

My heart slammed against my ribs as I released inside of her. I knew then that I’d never get enough of her. It felt too good to be inside of her, to have her arms around me.

We stared into each other’s eyes as our bodies retreated from their orgasmic high. My hands glided up her neck to Irelyn’s nape, and I pulled her mouth to mine, greedily tasting her.

Still
by The Foo Fighters played in the background.

Promise I will be forever yours…
On the heels of that verse, three words—ones that would send me running—started to form in my head. I wanted to shake them out; afraid I was not capable of the meaning behind them.

“Zolt, I—” Her eyes softened with her emotion, and I could see the same words reflected in her gaze.

I stole her words, our lips meeting in a tongue-twining kiss. Irelyn couldn’t be the first to say what I knew we were both feeling.

When the time was right, I’d say those three words. Until then, they were verboten.

The images bombarded me from all sides. I knew it was a dream because the images were distorted and unrealistic, and at the same time, so remarkably real. Chris was lying in front of Grandpa’s house in a pool of his own blood, his gaze wide open and empty. His beautiful face had been bashed in below the eyes. Besides his green eyes, the only thing that told me it was my Chris was the gold Celtic cross he wore around his neck. Whoever had done this hated my brother.

I took a step toward his lifeless body, and I’d almost reached him when I felt myself being shaken into wakefulness.

“Irelyn, wake up, baby. You’re dreaming. Please, baby, wake up.”

My eyelids flew open to see a worried Zolt leaning over me with his hands on my shoulders.

“Zolt?” I asked, hearing my voice quaver as the remnants of the dream retreated.

Zolt’s large thumbs wiped the tears off my face. “You were having a nightmare. Shit, Irelyn, you scared the hell out of me.”

“I’m sorry. I-I haven’t had one in several months,” I said apologetically and sat up, pulling my knees to my chest.

“If that’s what it’s like to experience my nightmares, then fuck me.” Zolt rubbed circles on my back. “It was about Chris, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah.” I didn’t elaborate further since my thoughts were still fuzzy.

“What can I do?”

“Nothing,” I said.

He was concerned; I could feel it in his touch.

“Do you want to smoke?” he asked, tentatively. “I know we haven’t talked about that, but it always helps me.”

I could hear the hesitation, as if he worried I’d condemn him for his coping mechanism.

“No.” I shook my head. “I’ve been taking Ambien since it happened. It stops the nightmares, but I didn’t take any last night.”

Zolt cringed. “Ambien did bad things to me. One night, my brother found me sleepwalking outside naked with an open can of SpaghettiOs.

“Really?” I laughed a little as I imagined Zolt doing that. “SpaghettiOs?”

“Hey, it's a childhood thing. I loved them as a kid.”

I laughed again, and glanced at the clock, surprised to find it was mid-morning “Hey, you didn’t have a nightmare, did you?”

“Nope.” Zolt stroked my arm. “I think you chased them away. The memory of you always did. Having you with me seems to have kept them away altogether.”

“For real?” I knew I was grinning like a fool at him, but I couldn’t help myself. I felt triumphant. Having this small victory helped lighten my mood.

“You did. I can’t remember the last time I slept through the night without being slapped awake by nightmares.”

“Except you were, by mine,” I said sadly.

“Hey, that’s my fault. If I hadn’t told you—”

“Don’t.” I put two fingers over his lips. “I’m glad you told me. I needed to know. Zolt, you saved me. So, don’t you dare apologize.”

I hugged myself and rubbed my arms, trying to stop the shivers. When I thought about Marcus, what he’d planned to do, and what he’d probably done to Chris…

“Irelyn, I see the wheels spinning in your head. Try not to go there, baby.” He turned my face to his. “Marcus has to get past me, and that won’t happen. Come here.”

Zolt laid down and pulled me to him. I snuggled against him, loving the way it felt to be in his arms. I had never experienced this with a boyfriend. Sure, I’d made out with former boyfriends, and done some snuggling while watching movies, but not like this, naked and in the same bed after sleeping together in every sense.

I glanced at Zolt, and my heart skipped a beat. He was so fucking sexy with his day old stubble on his face and his sleep mussed, wavy hair. Holy hell, I wanted him.

“Irelyn, you’re looking at me as if you want to fuck me,” he said, his lips curving into a wicked grin. “Yesterday and last night not enough for you? My, but you are a greedy thing.”

“Uh.” I brought my hands to my face to cover my flushing cheeks.

“Don’t hide from me, Irelyn,” Zolt said and maneuvered his body and raging erection over me.

“Oh, my,” I said, wishing I’d have brushed my teeth.

“Oh, my, indeed.” His soft lips grazed my jaw, and then moved to my lips. He nipped at my bottom lip, and I opened my mouth, allowing his tongue to slip inside.

Zolt kissed me with intensity and purpose that made me forget that neither of us had brushed our teeth.

T-bone Stanley was one intimidating man. The dude was huge—much bigger than I remembered him. I sat there listening to him update Zolt on where the investigation stood, but all I could think about was I wouldn’t want to be the person who pissed him off. He took up half the couch, and I swear his arms were as big as my thighs.

“So, Irelyn,” he said, returning my attention to him. “As far as we can tell, there seems to be a party once a month. Since Marcus has been out of town, he’s planning a big one for next weekend.” He rubbed his hand over his baldhead, reflecting his nervousness.

“This was the weekend he intended to auction you.” T-bone took his glass of water from the coffee table and drained it in one gulp.

“Oh,” I said, my stomach churning, threatening to upchuck my breakfast.

Zolt grabbed my hand and squeezed, and I wondered if I looked as green as I felt.

“Hey, don’t worry, we found out in time. Nothing’s going to happen,” he said and kissed my knuckles.

I nodded, but I still couldn’t get over how close I’d come to being a ploy in Marcus’s fucked up game. If Daddy hadn’t hired Zolt, and we didn’t have this crazy connection, Marcus would have succeeded with his plan. It was all just a little too close to home. I shivered and wrapped my arms around myself.

Zolt put his arm around me and kissed my head. “I’m here now. He has to come through T-bone and me. That’s just not going to happen.”

I leaned my head on Zolt’s shoulder, feeling safe and wanted, and forced a smile to my face. “I know it’s just so unbelievable. I never dreamed he was this demented.”

“I’d prefer to be the one on the inside, but apparently the club is almost Aryan in their admittance policies.”

“Yeah, that’s Marcus, he’s extremely prejudice. Yet another one of his winning personality traits.” The more I thought about it, the more I failed to see why he and Chris ever became friends, and the more what I’d done with him twisted my stomach.

“Jackson Wyatt will fit right in. He’s tall, blonde, and blue-eyed, and he’s a badass, deceptively so. Having worked with the CIA, he’s great undercover. No one will be any the wiser about his motivations.”

T-bone glanced at his phone; then said, “If you’re set on going Irelyn, my boys tell me the ranch is clear. We should move soon.”

“Yep, I need to see for myself.” I didn’t want to go, but I knew I had to. I owed it to Chris to follow this through.

“I don’t like it.” A man’s deep, no nonsense, Irish voice said from across the room.

My head snapped up to see Sloan standing at the entrance to the great room, leaning on a pillar.

“Irelyn, we can deal with this. There’s no reason for you to go,” he said and crossed his arms over his massive chest.

“Sloan? What are you doing here?”

“We thought it would be best to involve Sloan since he has skills and experience you can’t imagine.”

“What skills and experience?” I tilted my head and tried to see something in my chauffeur I hadn’t seen prior. There had always been a certain air about him that I couldn’t quite put my finger on—not exactly intimidating but not warm and fuzzy either. To me though, Sloan had always been sweet and caring.

I looked over at him and saw mirth dancing in his gunmetal gray eyes. Sloan was good-looking, and he certainly did justice to the black jeans and black T-shirt he was wearing. But I could see now what I’d always missed in him, or what he’d never shown me.

Sloan Sullivan could fuck you up and not think twice about it.

Knowing that, I dipped my head and stared at my hands in my lap.

Zolt looked over at me and gave me a funny look himself, cocking his head.

Sloan stepped forward moving closer to where Zolt and I sat. There was a new determination in his gaze, which flicked between Zolt and me.

“Irelyn, are you sure you want to go there? It's been a long time, and I'm not sure that's the best thing for you to revisit.”

I gave Sloan a reassuring smile. “I think I have to. I mean, I don't want to, but it's my duty. I owe it to Chris.”

Zolt stroked my leg but didn't say anything. He wasn't going to make that decision for me, though I knew he preferred I didn't go.

I glanced over at T-bone and saw the same expression Sloan wore on his face. They all wanted me to stay here, let the men deal with this. And maybe that would be the smartest thing. But Marcus had already taken too much from me, and it was time for me to stand up for myself and my family since Daddy couldn’t or wouldn’t.

“All right, then let's get on it.” T-bone stood from the couch, and I swear I heard the couch groan in response. My eyes traveled up his massive body, and I flash backed to the days when he and Zolt used to play and how they worked together in unison. I wondered if it was a pattern they’d easily return to.

Determined, I calmed my frazzled nerves and stood, smoothing my black Maxi dress. If this was the right thing for me to do, why did I feel as if I wanted to puke? Either way, I just needed to get this over.

Zolt held my hand the entire trip as we sat in the back of the town car that Sloan drove. The closer we got to the ranch, the more my stomach did flip-flops. Daddy had to know about this, otherwise Marcus wouldn't be able to control the property. But I couldn't get lost in Jacob Wilkes betrayal of his family. I'd save that for later when I knew exactly what was going on and could confront him face-to-face.

We arrived at the gates, stopping to allow Sloan to enter the code. I squeezed my eyes shut praying Marcus hadn’t changed it. Luckily, the gates swung open, and we continued toward the house.

From the outside, everything about the ranch looked exactly the way it did the last time I was here. If I closed my eyes, I could still pretend that nothing had changed. That Chris hadn’t been murdered out here, and that his face hadn't been bashed in by some unknown person; a person that may well be Marcus or somebody he knows.

My hands white knuckled the backseat as we moved closer to the front of the ranch house with white and green trim. I remembered as a child coming here, pretending that the tree-lined driveway was the path to a magical house with a magical man that was my grandfather.

My happiest and my absolute worst memories were formed here, and I swallowed hard past the lump forming in my throat. This was so much harder than I thought it would be.

Zolt put his arm around me, pulling me tight against his side, trying hard to comfort me. I loved him for this because I knew it didn’t come easily for him. I gave into his warm comfort, allowing his yummy, fragrance—a little, cocoa, floral, and other spicy scents—to calm me.

“Are you okay?” Zolt took my face in his hands and turned it towards him. “You can stay here in the car. You don't have to do this.”

“At least he kept the grounds manicured,” I grumbled, while steeling myself for whatever I’d see. My insides shook so badly, I wondered if it was possible to rattle your organs loose.

The car stopped, and Sloan exited, coming around to open the door for Zolt and me.

Behind his Oakley sunglasses, I could feel Sloan assessing me, worrying over me. I felt the same coming from Zolt as he placed his hand on the small of my back. They were both doing their best to give me their strength. Greedily, I latched onto it, knowing that without it, I might just fall into a million pieces.

The sound of another car turning onto the drive pulled me from the surfacing dread. My sandaled foot tapped with nervous anticipation, waiting for T-bone’s car to pull up beside the town car. He, plus three other of his men, exited the black Suburban. Suddenly, I was surrounded by a sea of testosterone. Among them, Zolt was the smallest, but not by much. I felt like a fragile girl in need of protecting, and I hated that they probably viewed me as such.

Taking a moment to gather myself, I closed my eyes and tried to pull my brother’s energy to me though I knew it was stupid. His essence no longer resided here, and I hoped that he’d moved on to a better place.